Wheat, Flour, Bread Changes Recommended

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30737, 29 April 1965, Page 20

Wheat, Flour, Bread Changes Recommended

(New Zealand Press Association!

WELLINGTON, April 28.

The Cabinet will soon receive a report recommending extensive changes and improvements to New Zealand’s associated wheat, flour and bread industries.

This was confirmed this morning by a spokesman for the Department of Industries and Commerce. The report has just been completed by a Cabinet sub-committee with the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr Marshall) as chairman. It is based on recommendations made to the Government a year and a half ago by a special committee of inquiry into the wheat, flour and bread industries.

It is understood the Government will consider the establishment of a wheat authority to replace the present wheat committee, as a means of improving the control and development of crops and products. But it is not certain if the Government will consider the committee of inquiry’s recommendation for the removal of the flour subsidy, although the recommendation was supported by last year’s National Party conference.

The Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) has already said the Government does not intend interfering with food subsidies. The committee of inquiry recommended in part that the proposed wheat authority should ensure adequate supplies of wheat were available

at all times throughout New Zealand. The committee also recommended the wheat authority should: Encourage wheat growing in New Zealand to the maximum possible extent. Ensure adequate supplies of bran and pollard were available throughout New Zealand at all times. Be the sole purchaser of wheat of marketable quality grown in, or imported into New Zealand —other than wheat for seed or experimental purposes.

Be the sole supplier of wheat of marketable quality and the sole exporter of wheat. In its recommendations on bread baking, the committee of inquiry proposed all bread should be wrapped before sale to the consumer, and that retail margins on bread be examined to determine whether any increase should be provided. It also recommended that methods of storage of bread delivered outside shops should be examined with a view to devising and encouraging the use of an approved container.