N.Z. BUTTER.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15335, 25 September 1917, Page 2

N.Z. BUTTER.

MORE TALK ABOUT REGULATING PRICE. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, September 24. In the House this afternoon, replying to Mr Young (Wuikato), Mr Massey said he was not in a position to make any aeiinite statement as to the position of the purchase of butter by the Imperial authorities. Everyone was aware there had been recently important changes in connection with the - ood Controller's department in Britain. They had recently purchased t«he Australian output, and, generally, changes went to show that we might confidently expect a definite de-, cision concerning our own output in the course of a few days.' He knew perfectly well what was going on in New Zealand, and the Government was doing its best to settle the question not in the interests of speculators, out in the interes s of the producers and the public generally. What was going on was this: When dipping was scarce butter was being bought up at a cheap rate, and when shipping became plentiful, it was sold at a big profit. He was not going to have anything of that sort.

PROTECTION AGAINST SPECULATORS. (From Our Parliamentary Special.) WELLINGTON, September 24. Mr Massey made another statement to-night about the possibilities of he Imperial Government acquiring the New Zealand output. He said he had received no reply yet, but as the British Government has acquired all the cold storage in Britain, 'and bought all the Australian butter, he believed they would buy the New Zealand output. He expected a reply shortly, but he said emphatically that if the British Government would not .take New Zea'land butter, the New Zealand Government must take it to protect producers against speculators who profited' by scares about the shortage of shipping.