BOARD OF TRADE AND A WHEAT DEAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 8, 4 October 1917, Page 8

BOARD OF TRADE AND A WHEAT DEAL

A TIMARTJ COMPLAINT. (Br TeiecraDh—Soecial Correspondent.) '■Timaru, October 3. During the past few weeks brokers and merchants havß been inundated with ino.uin<!S\ for wheat by southern millerf, who have stated that unless immediate supplies am forthcoming they will hive (0 shut, down. Acting on the suggestion of thti .Prime Hinifter; a. Timoru miller iwho toofc the precaution to buy heavily early in the season, and who, as a consoqneiice, now has 6Ufliciont.;wheat on hand to last him till. Christmas) offered to lend one of the oul-of-wheat. southern millers a, large quantity, on condition, that the borrower gave him an equivalent in. Australian wheat as soon us the Government are able to fjet more i-us-tralfan wheat here. As trafficking in wheat is not allowed, the. sanction of the Board of Trade was sought to this arrangement, us well as its promise that Australian wheat -would be landed at Oama'ru or Tima.ru. for the replacement of the wheat; eo lent For fivo days a reply 155 i these requests has been awaited, but only vague and unsatisfactory statements bare been forthcoming. The board's failure to Rive a prompt and definite decision is the more to be regretted by reason of tho fact that the miller who offerea to lend the wheat was actuated by a dwiro to respond to Mr. Masseys appeal when he asked millera who had plentr of wheat "to be fiports enough to he'lp others lees fortunately placed to keep their hands employed and their mills running.