THE WHEAT DUTIES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 14, 27 October 1932, Page 3

THE WHEAT DUTIES

ATTACK AND DEFENCE.

SPEECHES IN PARLIAMENT.

(Special to the “ Guardian.”) WELLINGTON, October 26. If the grower gave his wheat lor nothing you could bring down the price of the 21b loaf of bread by only 1.64 d, said Mr H. S. S. Kyle (0., Riccarton), in the House to-night, replying to an attack by Mr C. A. Wilkinson (Ind., Egniont), on the sliding scale of wheat duties. Mr Kyle urged that if any inquiry was to be made it would be made into the costs involved after the wheat left the growers, particularly into the difference in the price of fowl wheat in the North Island compared with the South Island.

During his speech in the Budget debate, Mr "Wilkinson complained that the present duties on flour raised the price of the 41b loaf of bread by 2|d. He quoted figures showing the importations of wheat into New Zealand since 1928, and said that notwithstanding the high protection given to the wheat-growers they had been unable to give the supply that the country required. The additional tax of 2fd made the New Zealand loaf the most costly in the world.

Minister’s Attitude Criticised. 'Mr Wilkinson attacked the attitude of the Minister for Agriculture toward the wheat duties, and added that it was marvellous to see how the wheatgrowers in the South Island could command the situation. To judge by the noise they made, one would think that the whole of the South Island was made up of wheat-growers, yet actually 561 growers grew under five acres of wheat, 853 under 10 acres, 794 under 15 acres, 477 under 20 acres, and fewer than 500 oyer 100 acres. Mr Wilkinson sa-id Mr Kyle had twitted the Minister for Agriculture with going to Timaru and Christchurch, and getting out of a difficult position by telling the people that he was in favour of the sliding scale of duties. Mr Kyle read the Press quotation showing that the Minister had visited the South Island to make a full investigation and to see if anything could be done to remove tlie disparity in price between the time the wheat left tlie grower and leached the breakfast table. Mr NVilkinson had quoted the statistics of wheat production since 1928, but he liad been careful not to go hack further to tho long period of years when New Zealand produced more wheat than she could consume. While he declared that less wheat was being grown, lie liad tried to show that tho growers were getting ail exorbitant price on account of the sliding scale of duties.

Cost of the Loaf. Mr Kylo quoted figures showing that at 4s 4d a bushel for their wheat farmers were receiving only 1.64 d from the cost of the 21b loaf. Tlie other fourpence or fivepence went in transport costs. If the duties were abolished and the growers gave their wlieat for nothing the price of the 21b loaf would he brought down only by 1.64 d. The average expenditure on bread was shown in the Year Book to be only 3.23 per cent, of the average income. According to an investigation made in Christehucrh by one of tlie largest bakers the average cost of bread over six months was only 2 s Id a family a week. To-day in Christchurch bread was being sold at 4)d for a 2lb loaf, while some chain stores were selling it for 3d. In Australia, where wheat prices were extremely low, the cost of bread was 4d the 2lb loaf in Melbourne and fid in' Sydney, both prices being over the counter. Instead of always thrashing away at tho South Island farmer, continued Mr Kyle, the member for Egniont should make inquiry into the disparity in wheat prices in the North Island. “This disparity in prices demands a full investigation, and I suggest that Mr NVilkinson should come forward and make it,” Mr Ivyle said. “If the position continues, the North Island should deal direct with tlio growers.”

Protection. Mr Kyle reminded the House that wheat had been protected for a number of years, yet the price had been reduced from 6s a bushel in 1928 to 4s 4d a bushel at the present time. In 1922, when the world’s parity for wheat was 12s 6d a bushel, wheat in New Zealand was being sold to millers at 5s 6(i. He instanced the protection given to the wheat industry by othei countries of the world, including Great Britain and France, and urged that New Zealand should endeavour to bo self-supporting in its production of such a staple foodstuff. ihc industry in New Zealand supported not only farmers, f but many other workers as well as transport firms and the Railways Department. What would happen to the railways in the South Island if there was no wheat industry f A member: They would go “phut. Mr Ky'le: Certainly they would go “phut.” Already they have been closing branch lines, and this would make the position worse. The South Island is glad to carry on the good work and feed tho North Island. We feed you on our bread and draw from you oui main supplies of beef. You grow better beef and we grow better wheat. I must remind you, too, that if the wheat industry is wiped out the pig industry will go with it, and probably a. great deal of the. dairying industry as well.

MINISTER CRITICISED. MR. WILKINSON’S OPINION. ■ WELLINGTON, October 26. “We have a Minister for Agriculture in this country and that gentleman, although one of the heaviest weights in the House, can be termed the lightest side-stepper in the country,' said Mr 0. A. Wilkinson (Independent, hgmont), during an attack on the sliding scale of wheat duties in the House tonight. In Hamilton, he continued, the Minister made a statement that he was against wheat duties, and that state-

ment was published far and wide throughout New Zealand. Air J. A. Nash (€., Palmerston): 'I do not think he hacks that up. Mr NVilkinson: He did not back it up when lie got to Timaru. When lie reached Timaru, and, later, Christchurch, he found that he had made a big mistake. The lion, gentleman abjectly recanted 1 at Timaru in sackcloth and ashes tho statement lie is reported to have made in Hamilton, and 1 want to know what kind of a Minister we have here. I have had quite a lot of trouble with previous Ministers of Agriculture, two of them in particular. The same fate will befall the lion, gentleman in this case if he goes_ on with the game as at present. It is a marvellous thing that the wheat-grower in the South Island can command the situation.

A member: And still the public suffer.

Mr NVilkinson: And will continue to suffer until we get a new Minister for Agriculture.