§ 17. Captain P. MACDONALDasked the Minister of Agriculture how the average prices of milk and cream in this country have been affected by the recent restrictions on foreign-imported process milk?
§ Major ELLIOTThe arrangements governing the imports of processed milks were made in order to avoid a market collapse, to provide room for large and increasing stocks in the hands of home manufacturers and to enable manufacturers to keep their processing plants in operation. I understand that these objects have very generally been achieved and while it is not possible to estimate the effect on the prices of milk and cream, the arrangements are having a marked effect in supporting the liquid milk market at a time when it is at its weakest owing to the seasonal peak of production.