IMPORTED WHEAT

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 16, 19 July 1932, Page 5

IMPORTED WHEAT

IS PKICE EXCESSIVE ?

AUCKLAND ALLEGATION

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, 18th July.

. A charge that the Government' has paid above the ruling market price fo/ the -wheat - being imported from Australia is made-in a statement issued on behalf of the importers' section of tie Auckland Chamber of Commerce. The shipment of 4000 tons which ■will arrive at Auckland from Geelong- to-morrow is ' the first of 850,000 bushels to be brought ;o New Zealand by the Wheat Market: ing Agency Co., Ltd., commonly known as the_ Wheat Marketing Board. .-.',■ > "If the Government is- determined,.to give a monopoly which operates against the general Jtody of merchants in- ' terested. in . the . importation of: this ' class of goods,; surely; its elementaryduty is to see that the very best price is obtained in. fay.our of ■tiua .country;-?' ; " it:is stated by. thechamber.' ■• /fin tVe- • case of wheat b.eing 'imported*- at pne- ' sent we areadyise'd that- tie price in Victoria ' A and . South Australia' averages 3s 3Jd a bushel f.o.b;,and we are ■ further advised that1 wheat1 from the same;districts and of > equal quality could be -purchased' at r.tne. Time rth» orders were;placed at 3^.a bushel: f.oib.V It ;is understood ■that;a;Bimilir l -posiv" tionobtained at Perth, whete purchases:; are < said, to' have /been "= mi de at-^s ':ld, whereas 'wheat of'the «ame-;' quality, - could>haye been bought at -the i same; time at 2s lpd; ttfc 2s lldi ilfithedft-^ ference/all round" is estimated "at :3d; ■'.'■ surely, £10,000/: is too deari a price -for .:. a monopoly*'?^ ■-. ■■/ ..'.;■'.;:;; ...'" ;:<>/,.': Mrr.Gainor Jackson,, ch&irman.-of th«- ■-.■ importers' section, said-it>was;under?, i stood' that the Government purchases "-. had been .'made-tnrough-'ojie agent-in'• Sydney. This had been- done -on tK'e "'■' last • occasion- the- Government ;wtat;oa -i the Australian, market," and it was estii- , mated that several ■ thousand pounijt * more than".-was, hecessary-r; was 'paii i '.'lf the Government announc**'.its intention «i£; becominB1 a larges'bnyer^it stands to treason thatvthe price will ? not fall,V saidiMr.'Jackson. i Although the!figures were'not available,;it -was 1 believed '> that;; het^fvloto>;liaa ffl^eeii v bought -by - the■ South' Australia vand-;Victoria.. ;,T^e'^;:toweT:' price paid' in Perth was offset-; by .the ' freight 'charges from that port. The : buying'; had probably been epread jover the four chief Australian distributing centres, Mr.-Jackson 'said. - There, wia - nor/doubt; that1- the. Government, had' ■ giiinted a monopolyiia",the.,iijiporti- : . tion;. of twheat. It was impossible SjMr; other J 'firmß > to obtain a permit'for tiii» ' porting, even for milling . purposes. ;'' There could be •■ no defence . by. ; the Government on the ground that special , hard; wheat,was .being .purchased. - -S' . Mr. Jacksoa-■: said .^thev.' Meltburne Chamber of Commerce had;advii(jd,the Auckland;chamber -thatr/.'flonr'jnaHu* facturedvin Victoria,-: both' for export and local : trade, is , made fr6m fair average, quality, wheat,, ■Mdjhe^er^ii ; practically no hard: wneat""gro'ira:-■'.*i»i theiState."- ::'{''■■'?'■'■ *■'*■' '