NEW ZEALAND ACTS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 276, 4 September 1939, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND ACTS

CONTROL OF GRAIN SUPPLIES. appointment of controller. wide powers conferred. (Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, September 3. The appointment of a Controller with power to regulate, restrict, control oi prohibit the distribution of wheat, oats barley, pollard, bran, pollard or bread is provided for in regulations gazetted to-night. The extension of control to barley ancl oats would become necessary in the event of a shortage of wheat. “The Government has controlled the supply of wheat and flour and fixed the price of bread in the past under the Board of Trade Regulations, hut as bread is a vital foodstuff it has been considered advisable in order to ensure that there is uot interruption of supply in the present emergency to extend the field of control,” says a statement issued early this morning. “The Controller will work under instructions from the Minister of Supply and his authority extends to the control of any products manufactured from wheat, barley or oats. He is given power to regulate, restrict, control or prohibit the distribution of wheat, oats, barley, pollard, bran, flour or bread. “The Controller may also take such steps as are considered necessary to ensure that an adequate supply of wheat is pi’oduced in New Zealand, and to this end may enter into arrangements for the supply of seeds, manure, machinery, etc., and may undertake other measures to ensure the growing of wheat. Provision is made for the control of flour mills and for the production and distribution of adequate supplies of flour by the most economical means. . “To conserve essential supplies, ingredients to he used in bread may be prescribed and the delivery of bread may be regulated and zoned. The Controller will 'be assisted by and will work closely with committees representing wheatgrowers, fiourmiJlers and bakers. Although wide powers must necessarily he given to the Control lei in regulations such' as these, it is only in a case of extreme emergency that many of them would be used, although it has been considered advisable to provide for control right from the begin ning; there; is no shortage of wheat or flour at present, nor is there likely to be such a shortage. “For some time the Wheat Committee has been building up stocks of wheat for emergency use, and there is to-day sufficient wheat in. New Zealand for all purposes (milling, fowl wheat aud seed) to last until the end of March, 1940, without using any of the new crop, the harvesting of which will commence in January. As a very large area has been planted in. wheat this season, supplies are assured without importations until at least the end of 1940. There is,' therefore, no occasion for traders in wheat or flouy to. alter in any way their normal practice as regards carrying stocks. It is unnecessarv for housewives to get in extra stocks of flour, as there is no prospect of a shortage and prices are being controlled.”

SHOTS ACROSS BOWS. STEAMER IGNORES SIGNALS. INCIDENT AT WELLINGTON. (Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, September 3. Two shots Avere fired across the boAVS of the steamer City of Delhi off the entrance to the Wellington Heads this morning when she failed to heed a signal given by the examination steamer to heave-to. It Avas later explained that the vessel failed to stop because the signal had not been understood. The official explanation of the incident states that when the City of Delhi approached Wellington early this morning the examination steamer Avas on duty at the entrance to the port. She was flying the examination service flag, Avhich is a rectangular red, white and blue flag of special pattern, with dimensions 10 feet by eight feet. The City of Delhi took no notice of the examination steamer, and did not reply to the examining officer’s hail, but proceeded without apparently reducing speed. The examining officer therefore had no option but to signal the examination battery to bring her to, or stop her, which is normally effected by firing a round of plugged shell across the boAvs. In this case, a second round Avas necessary before the order Avas understood and obeyed. The examining officer then boarded the A’essel and Avas informed that his signals had not been understood. It is Avell known that examination services are established in times of emergency at principal British ports all oA'er the Avorld, and the Admiralty draws attention to this in a notice to mariners published annually. The notice contains this paragraph: “As the institution of an examination service Avill probably bo unknown to A'cssols desiring to enter port, especial care should be taken in approaching ports by day or night to keep a sharp lookout for any vessel carrying the flogs or lights mentioned in Paragraph 7, and to be ready to bring to at once Avhcn bailed by iier or warned by the firing of a gun or the sound of a rocket. Tn approaching by night any port in the British Empire, serious delay and risk Avill be avoided if four efficient all-round lanterns, two red and two Avhite, are kept available for use.”