AN ESSENTIAL INDUSTRY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 118, 18 May 1917, Page 2

AN ESSENTIAL INDUSTRY.

POSITION OF FLOTJB.-MILLING.

OMISSION AN OVERSIGHT.

The Christchnrch "Sun" states:— Headers of the "Sun" will have noticed in recent issues advertisements by Mr. P. Virtue, flourmiller, of Auckland, in which reference is made to the fact that the National Efficiency Board has not included flourmilling in the list of essential industries. To-day the matter was brought under the notice of Mr. F. Cooper, secretary to Mr. J. A. Frostick,

the Canterbury Commissioner, who was asked to answer the following questions: tl) If it iB not aq oversight Unit milling is not Included In the essential Industries. (2) If It 'would Dot fee disastrous to the milling Industry in New Zealand to import Hoar, even though it Involved a earing of space as compared with importing wheat. (3) If millers will be given the opportunity of tendering evidence before the Efficiency Board on the subject. Regarding question No. 1 t Mr. Cooper said that the omission of milling fron the list of essential industries was an oversight, as might l>e gathered from the fact that the industry did not appear in any other of the pirbliehed claaeificatione. As far as he understood the position, the only question that came before the Board at its meeting was not whether the industry was essential, but whether it should be classed "essential" or "most essential." The intervention of some exceedingly urgent business claiming the Board's attention, the matter became lost Bight of for the moment, but would be dealt with, he presumed, at the next board meeting. Question No. 2, said Mr. Cooper, hinged on No. 1, but it had never come before the Board for consideration.

In regard to No. 3, the fact was that the millera had had an opportunity, which they availed themselves of, of giving evidence on the essential character of the industry.