WAR AND SHIPPING.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 127, 29 May 1918, Page 4

WAR AND SHIPPING.

STATEMENT BY MINISTER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) MASTERTON, Tuesday. The Minister of Agriculture attended the Wellington Provincial Farmers' Union Conference to-day. Speaking in regard to various remits the Minister said it -was impossible to refer seriously to hydro-electric power schemes until the termination of the war. In reference to shipping matters, he said the Government intended using ite power to import wool and corn sacks at reasonable prices, and was doing everything possible to secure transport for produce. The whole matter of imports and exports was controlled by the Imperial authorities, and, owingto the position that had arisen, only essential goods were likely to ibe imported. Fencing wire could be procured only from America, and there was insufficient shipping to carry it. Every poMrble facility wonld be given for importing , machinery for cleaning wooL, while the Agricultural Department v?ou4d establish places in both islands for the treatment of seedy wool. In regard to the price of bread, tJhe Minister said the Board of Trade had power to revise the price as it thought fit, when asked to do so. Continuing, he said no retailer was a r owed to sell second grade wheat at a greater profrt than 15 per cent., and he denied that any wheat imported from Australia had been sold as fowl wheat.