WHEAT AND FLOUR

Evening Star, Issue 19290, 1 July 1926, Page 9

WHEAT AND FLOUR

MINISTER ON SUPPLIES GOVERNMENT WILL HOT IMPORT [From Our Parliamentary Reporter] WELLINGTON, June 30. That there are probably a million bushels of wheat still in tiie hands of the Now Zealand farmers was the interesting statement of Air Hawken (Minister of Agriculture) when ho was questioned regarding tho situation by the Hon. D. Buddo. The latter expressed concern over tho danger to tho New Zealand flour-mills of having to close down if Australian flour continued to come to Now Zealand in such large quantities, as it appeared to pay the millers better to import flour than wheat. Atany small farmers were complaining that they could not get bran, and unless wheat became available ho knew of one mill which would shortly close down, throwing men out of employment. It was explained by Air Hawken that last year New Zealand grew sufficient wheat to last until tho end of next September. Three hundred thousand bushels of wheat had been imported into Auckland recently, and there had also come 104,000 centals of flour. New Zealand used 11,000 tons of flour monthly, and the excess amount im ported was 1,500 ions, comparatively a small amount.

The Minister said that, with importations, it could he seen that there was two months’ supply imported, giving sufficient till tho end of November. “ 1 know some millers are short of wheat,” ho continued, “ or 1 suppose they are, because they tell mo so. Other mills have bought wheat for their own requirements for tho year, and there are still one million bushels in tho hands of the farmers, so that I do not think the Government is called upon to take action at present. It is the intention of the Government to allow tho ordinary channels of trade to supply New Zealand with wheat or flour, and it is not the intention of the Government to import either wheat or flour.” Air APComhs: YVo are three months short still.

Mr Hawken; Ytes, but the harvest comes in Australia in December, am! that gives us plenty of time to get sufficient wheat. Mr Nosworthy; There was a, callover from last year.