Recommendations By Flourmillers

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29871, 11 July 1962, Page 17

Recommendations By Flourmillers

Detailed submissions were presented by the New Zealand Flourmillers’ Society <Mr A. C. Perry) to the Committee of Inquiry into the wheat, flour, and bread industries yesterday. The submissions contained 55 pages of evidence, five pages cf recommendations. 24 pages of appendices, 12 pages of an article on wheat marketing, and 13 pages of a report of a case between the King and the Crown Milling Company. Ltd. and others. At an earlier hearing Mr Perry had informed the committee that he would be lodging detailed submissions ‘‘and every word would count.” The society’s recommendations included the following: Quotas. — The quota system should be continued, but the quota regulations should be changed by fixing the Wheat Committee’s quota at its present figure and expressing the mill and Wheat Committee quotas as a percentage The Wheat Committee’s quota should be used primarily to redress anomalies and provide flexibility, but not used as an enticement or reward to millers to encourage them to purchase New Zealandgrown wheat which is not of milling standard. Wheat Supplies. There should be a definite statement of policy by the Government on whether it was intended that New Zealand should be self-sufficient in wheat supplies. Marketing.—A more orderly system of marketing wheat should be adopted Wheat should be grown on contract and offered first to the miller There should be a positive and definite assurance that alternative supplies of wheat would be made available by the Wheat Committee if there were insufficient supplies of good milling and baking quality wheat.

Use of Australian Wheat.— The Wheat Committee should investigate the selective purchasing adopted by some purchasing countries and the committee should investigate :he purchasing of premiumgrade wheats for blending purposes. Importations should be more regular and ample, and the Wheat Committee should ensure there was alw-ays a basic stock

held by North Island mills to ensure continuity of supply. Storage of New Zealandgrown Wheat. Farmers should be encouraged to store their own wheat. If bulk storage was to be encouraged it should be done by the farmer, or by the Government or the Wheat Committee.

Fixing of Millers’ Costs and Profits.— There should be an adequate return to the millers for their operations, based on a realistic approach to capital involved and its return. There should be a different method of price-fixing by a tribunal better informed on the problems involved.

Wheat Committee. The committee should be reconstituted to provide for an electoral system for the election of representatives of farmers. millers, bakers, merchants, and- poultryfarmers for a fixed term. Farmers’ representatives should be reduced to two, in line with the other major industries represented. The committee should exercise the wide powers vested in it so that it was not merely an advisory body.