asked the Minister for Agriculture whether the supply position will now permit of the abolition of the system of repeated use of butter boxes in the wholesale distribution of butter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Repeated Use of Butter Boxes.
Mr. Walsh
While the timber supply position would permit of the reversion to the pre-war position in which creameries were not permitted to use butter boxes more than once for the packing of creamery butter sold in bulk, such reversion would result in an appreciable increase in creameries' packing costs at a time when every effort must be made to reduce creameries' manufacturing costs generally.
Does the Minister think it desirable to reduce production costs by practices which cannot reflect credit on the industry? Is it not true that, except in times of acute emergency, in no country in the world is the practice of repeated use of boxes for butter adopted? Would the Minister not consider recommending to the creameries that, if they cannot use wooden butter boxes only once for transport of butter, they should consider some less expensive container provided they could get rid of the practice of repeated use of boxes, which, as the Minister I think knows now, often do not appear to be clean?
Mr. Walsh
If the Deputy were observant he would know that there is no more suitable material than timber for the storage of butter. I do not know what he would suggest for cold storage, for instance. I wonder if he does know that using butter boxes only once would mean a reduction of one-third of a penny per gallon for milk or an increase of ¾d. a lb. in butter?
That is what he wants.
There is no need to get cross about it. May I ask the Minister would he consider asking a competent authority to inquire into the question as to whether some fiberite or other material could be employed for boxes of this kind on a non-returnable basis? As the Minister is aware, a great deal of liquid milk and ice cream is now distributed in the United States in fiberite non-returnable boxes. If it is suitable for the preservation of milk it ought to be suitable for the preservation of butter, particularly when the butter is consigned to a retail distributor.
This is a speech, Deputy.
All I am asking the Minister is to consider an alternative so that these boxes would not be going to and fro from distributing houses.