WHEAT AND FLOUR

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 51, Issue 133, 18 March 1931, Page 2

WHEAT AND FLOUR

RETENTION OF DUTIES URGED. FIVE REASONS ADVANCED. (Special to "The Guardian,") CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. A conference, attended by representatives of all interested in the question of wheat -growing and allied industries, was held in the Chamber of Commerce buildings at Christchurch yesterday, with Mr C. H. Hewlett in the chair, and at its conclusion, the following telegram was sent to the Prime Minister by the president of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce:— "This representative conference of farmers, millers, bakers, stock agents, manufacturers, merchants, and lhembers of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, having received with satisfaction the Prime Minister's promise that the sliding scale of duties on wheat.and flour will be continued until the end of the present year, is investigating the possibilities of a reduction in the price of bread through economies in costs which have been proposed by the Government, and a special' committee has been set up to report later. "Meantime the conference urges upon the Government the necessity for maintaining the present scale of duties for future harvests after the present year for the following reasons:—. "1. The Dominion should be selfsupporting in its wheat requirements. "2. The protection which is given to wheat-growers by every country in the world. "3. The necessity for maintaining the standard of real wages and returns in New eZalarid as against those prevailing in other countries, such as Russia, *which are selling cheap wheat, in some cases produced by forced labour and depressing the world's markets. '"4. The large employment which is given by the wheat industry and its allied trades at reasonable cost to the Dorninoin. "5. The reasonable price at which bread can be sold in the Dominion in comparison with other manufactured articles, and in ratio to rates of wages." 1

EFFECT OF RATE OF EXCHANGE, PREVENTION OF IMPORT URGED. (Special to "The Guardian.") WELLINGTON, March 17. The Prime Minister is being asked by Mr Hamilton (Wallace) -f. the Government will take steps to prevent the importation of a large amount of grain and. chaff from Australia, wluc'b : is coming in to the detriment of New Zealand farmers, as the present rate of exchange encourages this business.