BUTTER COMMISSION.

Waikato Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6565, 10 November 1904, Page 1

BUTTER COMMISSION.

. «. PER UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION COPYKIGHP.I A PROGRESS REPORT. MELBOURNE, November 3. The Butter Commission lias issue! a progress report. The first suggestion of the present report is to open a butter exchange, ns the present system of firms acting as nominal agents of producers and fixing the price in conference according to their ideas, leuds itself readily to the encouragement of speculation, and is adverse to the primary interests of the producers. The next question is grading. The Commission is fully convinced that it would be of great value to the industry if no butter were allowed to leave ungraded. Exporters are urged to take steps to reap a similar advantage to that which New Zealand has secured by the aid of legislation. The question of freights has reached an acute stage, and concessions should be obtained. It was clear that a halfpenny per pound would pay the companies. The Commission strongly disapproves of the agreement proposed to be entered into by the mail companies and the Butter Freight Committee, binding the factories for three years to export by ' maii steamers at five-eighths of a penny. The Commission views with disfavour any attempt to negotiate while the whole matter is sub-judice, and urges producers to wait till the final report is issued. BRISBANE, November 7. Mr Taverner, the Victorian AgentGeneral, was a passenger by the Aorangi, returning to Melbourne. In answer to Mr Sinclair's statement made before the Butter Commission, be declared that he believed there was a conspiracy on the part of certian personages to persecute him. He regarded the whole thing as a most contemptible prosecution, backed up by a few enemies in a most un-British way. During his absence on the other side of the world, he never had the slightest interest in the products handled by his Department. When a Minister, he ceurted the fullest inquiry, and bad nothing to fear from the result.