WHEAT PROBLEM.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18968, 5 April 1927, Page 10

WHEAT PROBLEM.

DEFINITE BASIS SOUGHT. SOUTH CANTERBURY LETTER, j i A letter concerning the wheat ques- j tion, signed by Mr J. Bitehener, M.P. (president of the South Canterbury j Executive of the Farmers' Lnion), Mr j P. R. Talbot (chairman of the Timaru branch of the Tanners' Union), and Mr J. C. King (chairman of directors of the Timaru Milling Company) has been sent to Mr T. D. Burnett, M.P., with a request to him to forward it to the Prime Minister. i It is believed that the letter will be presented to the Minister for Agriculture (the Hon. Mr Hawken) at Ash- j burton to-day. j The letter is as follows: — j "With reference to Mr King's eon- j versation with you per telephone, sub- i ject to his and Mr Talbot's interview j with you, we now confirm the points we passed on to you with reference to your j communication to the Prime Minister. ' It was understood between us that j you would be sending a joint telegram j from Messrs Bitehener, Lee, and your- i self, and as the need is so pressing, we j hope to hear from you that this has ] been done. We now detail the points to j you:— ! "(1) That the Prime Minister should I make public the date on which the new j duty will come into operation when j sanctioned by Parliament; the earlier j the date the better, and to be certainly not later than June 30th. This would give seven clear months to Xew Zealand millers to know that from that time onw;ards there would be no Australian flour coming in against them. "(2) With reference to the Prime Minister's conversation with Messrs Talbot and King, after last Tuesday's meeting, Mr Coates reiterated his anxiety to help the wheat-grower if possible, and acquiesced in a proposed conference of representatives of wheatgrowers, millers, and merchants. If such a conference is arranged the Government should see that, it also had representation, and further, that the Government should seriously consider whether financial support could be given to a scheme if necessary. "(3) The dumping duty on flour should lie rigidly enforced aa outlined by the Hon. Mr Eolleston. The aspect J of importation is going to- be very closely watched; and the Prime Minis- j ter indicated that he would take steps in this to see that the wheat-grower was protected to the utmost limit, ] DUTIES AND DUMPING. Last Thursday representatives of the Chamber of Commerce submitted to the Tariff Commission the views of the Chamber regarding the Customs tariff affecting- wheat and flour. At last night's meeting of.the Council, Mr T. F. Gibsonr- (chairman) reported for the* Produce Committee "The Chamber was invited to expHJs its views upon the-subject of the- present Customs tariff .on wheat, flour, bran, and pollard. The matter was referred to the Produce Committee for its. consideration with power to act. The committee met on March 24th, and decided to accept the invitation to tender evidenoe before the Tariff Commission along the lines of tho policy already laid down and adopted, by tho viz. (IV T^atr^thei:'.'present' duty, on wheafev namefrl& 3d - per .bushel, shonla-"be • permanently: retained! and thusgive> grtJW<Srs. the necessary; confidence to produced MequateKeppplies of wheat in future; ?v v , . -; (2) That, in order, to ; protect, fully both the wheat-growing ' and; flourmilling industries, it. should Be recognised as a general- principle, that the duty upon a' manufactured ar- " ticle should be greater'.than that on the equivalent raw; material used in its manufacture, and that as the present duty on flour, '£3 per ton, is only on a pair . with iiie_duty on 'wheat, the duty..jkrar should be . * "* "I" I" - * -(3) That such power# a# may be v Necessary to prevent the dumping oi . -flour now; and at all future timet • ehould be exercised. Aa regarda the position of bran and /pollard, it was decided to recommend the duty, which had been su» perided to meet a, shortage of loca supplies of these products, , be/restored to its original amount of £2 10s pel ton." The statement of evidenoe alone above indicated waspreparec fpr ; ' submission to the Commission. Mr H. Worrall and the secretary i being appointed to present the case or behalf of the Chamber. This they die ' test Thursday afternoon." Hie report was adopted. 'Ch-.'