THE WHEAT DUTY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 51, Issue 129, 13 March 1931, Page 7

THE WHEAT DUTY

REFERENCE IN THE HOUSE.

RELATION TO PRICE OF BREAD. (Special to “The Guardian.”) WELLINGTON, March 12. There was a. general chuckle in the House when Air Burnett (Temuka), asked the Prime Alinister if in the events of the abolition of protection to the wheat growers of the South Island, and the resultant abandonment of wheat growing, lie would consider tlie imposition of an import tax of 2s per head on ■ store sheep and -10 s a head on store cattle sent from the North Island to the South Island. This, he explained, would enable a fund to be built up for the compensation of impoverished wheat growers. Air Macphersou (Oamaru), who seconded the Address-in-Reply motion, devoted the whole of his remarks to the wheat question. He emphasised that compared with- the return to growers and millers the price paid by bread consumers showed ai tremendous difference. He strongly urged the Government to have it investigated. The import were not by any means the chief fadior in the price of bread. The average cost of a ton of flour delivered to- the bakers was £ls, and the result, if the 41b loaf sold at Is, was that the baker received £37 10s, while at Is 2d. the' current average price on the loaf, the return was £43 15s. The share of grower, miller, and transport interests in the final cost of the loaf was 5.6 d, leaving a difference of 8-Jd, which required looking into. If the Department of Industry and Commerce was unable to deal with this investigation, then the Government should set up a commercial committee to conduct it, “The wheat farmers’ problem is not before the House, and I doubt whether it will he this year,” commented Air Coates (leader of the Opposition), who was the next speaker. He added that members would, however, have to make up tlieir minds whether wheat was to he grown in the Dominion or not, also that the wheat growing section of the farming community was just as much entitled to assistance as anv. other section of farmers.