A NEW ZEALAND GRIEVANCE [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
SIR,—Respecting your postscript to my letter in your issue of the 14th inst., in which you express your intention to support the New Zealand Control Board, to the detriment of other British Colonies which produce butter and cheese, the following particulars should show you clearly the cause of the unpopularity of the New Zealand Control Board.
Bristol merchants, about forty years ago, initiated the trade with New Zealand, importing butter in casks, which had been sent out there with beer in them, after they had been thoroughly cleansed. Since then, Bristol merchants have regularly imported New Zealand butter, under continued improved conditions, until the Control Board decided to sell New Zealand produce through privileged firms in London only, who sell to our customers at the same price as is asked from us. Consequently provincial firms have been compelled to push produce from other British Colonies, thus reducing the consumption of New Zealand produce.
When interviewed, the Board admitted that Bristol merchants had a genuine grievance, but expressed their inability to relieve it.
In reply to the letter from Mr. Haddow in your issue of May 14th, the 24s. difference between New Zealand butter and Danish was due to the fact that the New Zealand butter, which was at that time put on the market, was many months old, whereas the Danish had been made the previous week. The policy of the Control Board of storing huge quantities of butter for many months, sometimes here, sometimes in New Zealand, has been the cause of reducing the popularity of their butter, which existed when importers contracted for the outputs of the factories at the beginning of the season, and distributed the butter to retailers immediately on arrival here.
A cable from New Zealand reports that 10,697 tons of butter were in cold store there on April 30th, 1927. A large proportion of this will not be on this market till November, and will not then compare with Danish made the previous week. Consumers will willingly pay more for freshly made Danish than for stale New Zealand butter.—I am, Sir, &c.,
56 Queen Square, Bristol.
[The editorial postscript referred to did not express any Intention of supporting the New Zealand dairy producer " to the detriment of other British Colonies which produce butter and cheese." The Bristol dealers' complaint regarding the restriction of agencies seems to be a matter apart from the main question and one of competition amongst the agents themselves. Our correspondent's explanation of the difference that existed between the price of New Zealand and Danish butter when the difficulties between the New Zealand Board and the agents were at their climax is scarcely borne out by the facts, because the new season's butter had arrived and Was under offer at the time, and was equally affected. The cable reporting the storage of butter in New Zealand almost certainly .refers to .the quantities which are collecting at the Ports for shipment to Britain. The assertion that it will be November before this butter reaches London need not, in our opinion, be taken seriously.—En. Spectator.]
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