THE FLOUR QUESTION

Evening Star, Issue 19196, 12 March 1926, Page 3

THE FLOUR QUESTION

BETTER QUALITY WANTED BOARD OF TRADE METHODS ATTACKED BAKERS AND MILLERS CONFER For some t,ime past the members of the Baking trade hare been anything but satisfied with the quality of Iho Hour supplied for bread-making purposes. The matter came to a head yesterday at the Bakers’ Conference, when it was resolved to approach Distributors Ltd. on the matter, and the whole position was dealt with at 5 o'eloek last evening. Mr F. J. Corson, of Distributors Ltd., presided, and the deputation comprised the executive of the New Zealand Master Bakers and .Pastrycooks’ Association, with the addition of lour delegates.

- After tlte whole position of floor and wheat had been threshed at leugih, I ho deputation withdrew. Mr U. K. Miuhiesun, president of the New Zealand Master Bakers and Pastrycooks’ Association, introduced the deputation, and explained the reasons why a conference was wanted. The bakers wanted a guarantee that the Hour bought was up to a cerium standard.

“ In buying flour, we are at ihe host ill tJio invidious position of buying a ‘ pig in a poke,’ ” stated Mr \V. It. Andrews (, Wellington), who acted as spokesman. The bakers considered that it was time that the millers were asked to give them satisfaction in the quality of hour supplied. During the year several quantities of poor-qualiiy (lour, which acted against the baker and the miller, had been received. It had been suggested that the services of an analytical chemist should he requisitioned, lint so far it. was merely a. suggestion. At hgd year’s conference the millers had expressed the intention of giving the bakers a lair deal, but unfortunately there were still among their ranks--and fo their detriment—millers who supplied the poorest quality of flour, which made the bakers anxious to come to some definite conclusion as fo what was first-quality flour, so that they could keep in line with the requirements of Ihe Health Department and their customers. The wheat question was a big one, and was regrettably in a slate of chaos at the present time, according to the newspapers. IMPORTATION QUESTION.

Mr T. S. Senile (Dunedin) said Hint at the Master Bakers’ Conference hold in Christchurch two years ago an instructive paper on wheat and milling was read by Mr Corson. The lecturer had been asked what he considered was a Fair percentage to take out of wheat in oilier to give a first-quality flour. If his memory served, Mr Corson had slated: "I can reply to that question in a way yon can understand perfectly,” and he had said that some years ago in Great Britain there were tremendous importations of foreign flour, from both Europe and America. The importations wore so heavy that tlie millers began to feel that they were not getting a fair share of the business being done, and they inquired the reason. The Government had asked the bakers why they were sending so many orders for (lour to other countries, and the answer was that they received good quality, irrespective of price. .If the baker were buying A 1 flour —and ho did not say that they would not bo prepared to pay for A 1 quality flour—lie believed they required some guarantee that it was that quality of flour. The bakers had considered that they should take Mr Corson at his word. Some Hour was always good—every miller in the room made good (lour (laughter)— and they should bring into lino the millers who would not make a. good average standard of flour. STACK THRESHING. Mr vS. M’Millan (Wellington) said they did not. now believe that, bread was the staff of life. The quality of the Ilnur used had not improved. At the annual bakers’ conference held two years ago ho had brought up iho matter with a man who was a Gnvcrnenuit chemist, nr was connected with the Lincoln Agricultural College, and had asked hmi whether experiments wore being made in the growing of wheat. He had, boon assured something was being done, and the conference had had the pleasure of visiting the college, and seeing what work was being carried out. The official had been asked if any steps had been taken in making experiments with the stock and stack threshed wheals, hut he had replied in the negative, stating that that, was a matter tor the millers. Uc did not know what the millers had done in this regard, but the time had come when they should do something, '(’hey should adopt the stack-threshed wheat for milling, and it should be in stack for six weeks before threshing, because Hie straw extracted the moisture from wheat and made it more pliable for cleaning with rollers. Ho would suggest to the millers that they should make the tests, which might prove beneficial to the trade. With the competition from Australia, tlio millers would have to got busy and endeavor to improve the quality of the flour, which would result in the improvement of the quality of Hie loaf and an increase of consumers. Air Mathigson: 1 think this is an opportune time for the millers to lake the matter up. The flour coming in from overseas might nob be anything {is good as the local flour. Personally, I prefer local Hour time, hut. tests should be made of the imported article. I would suggest to the executive of Distributors, Ltd., and other concerns in Mew Zealand that they should take up a stand and ask the Government to make tests of (lour coming into New Zealand. But they can’t do that unless they test their own. QUESTION' OK QUALITY. Mr J. Gold (Halclutha) said that millers in Edinburgh had three grades of tlonr, and persons buying first quality could he assured that the flour was of the best. “ J don’t profess to fie able to show millers their business, but J can say that different, qualities if Hour can he made from the same grist,” lie declared. It was said that, the mills in New Zealand were more up to date than elsewhere, and the mills should make three qualities of flour and send them to the bakers for mixing. The bakers would be prepared to pay, and would get easterners who would’ also bo prepared to pay if there were two distinct qualities of (lour instead of one. Ho did not know whether the suggestion was of worth to the millers, but he knew that it would ie good for the bakery trade if they ion Id get, flour in different, qnalitites. Mr Hudson said that (here was a leinand for second quality (lour in the /Id Country, hut what, were they go:ng to do if two finalities of Hour were node in New Zealand? There was no leinand for that here. 'Die demand or second grade Ilnur was made lor he poor people of England. It was mpnssihle for the dominion millers to onke first, second, and third quality flour, and he was sure that no bakers ere prepared to make two qualities ■f broad.

Mr M'Miilan; They nre doing it ore. If yon examine the bread here \nd in Wellington yon will agree that here nre two finalities of bread Mr J. R. Hrijee fa director) said hat he had listened attentively to-Mr vf'Millan’s remarks. They know that he best grain was obtained from the tack-threshed wheat, bni the fames would not follow the liractiee Mr M'Miilan: Offer them twopence" «. bushal movA. •

Mr Broca:,, Well, what about, ilia present position? , Mr M'Milhm: Millers should cl iscourage tlio growing oi poor quality wheat. . , , . Mr Bruce: AVith regard to' the quality of flour, up-to-date mills taking 72, 73, ami even 75 per cent, will make better flour than the mills taking onlv fiS per cent. It is not a question of tbe quality of wheat you lake out, but bow youtnke it out. Mr Barker: The bakers have to paythe same price for bad flour, ami that, is tho complaint. That is why wc ask for nn, absolute lost, sr> Unit no w\W know what we are buying. TEST IN THE BAKING. Air II K. Ireland (a. director) said that, the bakers could not rely only on an analyst's reports and. tests. i lie true tost, was in the. baking. Ho had no intentions of discouraging them, as be tbmigbt that the Distributors. Ida., should adopt their proposal. He. believed I bat both tbe miller ami the baker were endeavoring to give the best to their customers; therefore they should cot the host wheat grown to give Mur host flour. The millers could not. get Ihe correct proportions of the different varieties, lie had been working out- a. problem as lollows; It a farmer got (is per bushel lor Dreadnought,, which yielded seventy bushels to the aero, what would they have to give him to equal the forty bushels of Velvet? That was the question that required answering. Mr E. 11. Lough_ (a director) said I hat ff) per cent, of the bakers knew that, the whole aim of the millers was to make good Hour. 'They had no. other aim. 'Dio suspicious typo ol man, Jem ever, would say that they were always our, for profit. Thousands _of pounds had been spent in improving Ihe mills without an increase in output of one hag: hut it had been done purely in the desire to make better flour, THE AIILLERS’ VIEWPOINT. Air Corson Mien replied on belnili of Distributors, Ltd., loljows -•“ I can assure von, on bebali of the directors of Distributors, that we. are pleased to see you here, and you can rest assured that we arc heartily with you in trying to improve the conditions ol your trade and our own/’ He did not know how many of them would remember that at 1 ho last conference in Invercargill lie had told them that the millers position was that, by reason of Government interference, they were not allowed to make I lie best quality Ilnur. Ho bad informed Mm ex-Miuister of Agriculture (Hon. \\ • Nosworlhv) of that opinion at the beginning of lastyear, and in tho course ol conversation lie had opened tho Minister's eyes to the fact that the Price Fixing Commission in Australia had allowed 45.7 bushels to make a ton of (lour, while the New Zealand Government allowed forty-seven bushels. Deferring In the percentage, Air Corson said that at tho last conference in Christchurch lie had mentioned that 72 or 73 per cent, was set for extraction to produce an average quality of Hour. He referred to Mr Bruce's figures, and said that the question of scientific investigation of the qualities of the constituent parts of standard flour had not boon Jost sight of. One of the junior mem hers of Distributors, Ltd., was going Homo to take up a course of cereal chemistry, which was different from analytical chemistry. He could assure the deputation that the millers’ one desire was not only to improve their bread, but also the conditions. Anything possible in that direction Distributors would only bo too please,l to undertake if they wore allowed to exist. They knew that the existence of Distributers was rather in tho “air” owing to t,hc ease before tho Privy Council. At‘the annual dinner last year certain things had been brought forward that the millers could carry out if assured of their existence, which, lie was sure, would ho a benefit to the trade. The matter of chemists was too for any individual mill, but it would be a matter for Distributors if tbe company were allowed to exist. The directors irsri pleased at any time to hear suggestions in regard to (lour, and they would bring to bear upon them the practical experience of tho directors. BO ADD OF TRADE CONDEMNED.

In reply to a question regarding the flour position tli'is year,. Mr Corson said that it he know what was going to happen he would not waste his time working for Wood Bros. It was hoped that arrangements would yet, he, made for a full supply of flour in New Zealand. The speaker roundly condemned the Board of Trade for dealing scctionally in the wheat and flour business. The sectional dealing had been the whole trouble all along.

Mr Lough said that the Government had interfered in til matter and had told the farmers that a good price would he given for their wheat. It had been proved absolutely that the Government's policy had not given them a good price, and with the Australian wheat living allowed to come in the fanners would not grow anything nest year, if the wheal' prices of the world wont up tlicrj was no reason why the price of bread should not he increased.

Mr Corson slated that to-day strenuous efforts were being made to bring all the mills into line. One mill had not produced one hag ot Hour in the past three months, yet it had been expending money to bring the mill up to'the standard, lie had been asked whv New Zealand could not sell at the same price as Anstralii. Bet ore answering that question ho had pointed out that the moisture content of the Australian wheat was tl.j per cent., lint after mimng the flour contained Li per cent. That is what they were buying. A Voice; Flour?

Mr Lough: No; buying watev. Mr Corson: They ore adding ilio water. If the Government department carries out its duties in the ordinary wav von are going io get nowhere. The New Zealand millers had been instructed, after (tour had boon sent out. flint bleaching would not he permitted. If the Government carried out its duty, the flour imported from Australia would he cnrofnllv nna'ysed. Mr Mathiesnn thanked Distributors, Ltd..for the attentive hearing given, and the deputation the a withdrew.