CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ATTITUDE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 88, 15 April 1931, Page 8

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ATTITUDE.

COMBINED ACTION REQUESTED MODIFICATION OF DUTY URGED "The Auckland Chamber of Commerce holds the opinion strongly that there should be an immediate revision of duty in regard to wheat and flour," stated the secretary, Dr. E. P. Nealc, this morning. The Government Statistician last year had produced figures showing that the purchase of bread constituted 3.23 of the total expenditure of Ihe average family in New Zealand, while flour represented another .87 per cent. While the chamber was of opinion that the growers were entitled to a certain amount of notice of the Government's intentions to vary the duty, there was no reason why the wheat producers should be singled out for a Jong period of favoured treatment as against all other classes of producers. The following letter, asking for opinions, has been forwarded to the Associated Chambers of Commerce:— "As to the urgent necessity of a modification- of the duties on wheat and flo ur, including the abolition of the sliding scale, we would point out that, owing to world-wide reduction in the prices of all primary prodmfa, this country is handicapped in the world's markets by having to pay unduly high prices for wheat and wheat products, the present duty under the sliding scale amounting to 100 per cent, if not more. "Perhaps of more importance is the fact that, owing to the existing depression, the high prices at present being charged for bread in this country are a serious handicap in reducing the cost of living, which reduction is becoming more and more 'necessary if the Dominion is to pay its way. Bread in Great Britain is at present costing somewhere about twice as much as it costs in New Zealand, although Britain is drawing the major portion of her supplies from overseas. The 10 per cent reduction in wages has brought this matter to a head, and our suggestion is that the matter should be considered by all affiliated chambers."