WHEAT AND FLOUR.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 24 December 1924, Page 5

WHEAT AND FLOUR.

AUSTRALIAN SUPPLIES

LIFTING OF EMBARGO

(by TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION

ASHBURTON, Dec. 23. , The Minister fop Agriculture (the Hon. W. Nos worthy) met a deputation: representing the executives of the Farmers’" Union in wheat-growing districts at Ashburton to-day. The deputation took the form of a round-table conference, at which the delegates expressed the view that farmers should receive the- utmost ( possible encourage--ment to remain in the industry. New Zealand had not become entirely dependent upon outside sources for supplies.'of such essential commodities •as bread and wheat. A request was also made that the embargo on Australian flour should be continued until September next in order that the . lpcal product might be used up by millers before Australian flour was marketed in New Zealand.

, The Minister recalled the promises he mad© at the wheat conference in March' last that after February next Government control would cease, that the embargo on importation would be lifted, and that duties of Is 3d per bushel on wheat and £3 per ton on flour would be imposed. If the circumstances warranted it a dumping duty on imported flour would also be imposed. The Government, said the Minister, had had no intention of revoking its announced decision on any of .these points, all the necessary arrangements for the duties mentioned to become applicable from March 1 being made. The relinquishment of Government -control of prices was a matter of settled policy. Therefore, it was quite useless to ask for a continuance of the embargo on the importation of Australian wheat and flour. The Minister pointed out that on the present prospects the farmer should receive considerably more than the. 6s per bushel asked by them in February last He considered that for the present season, at any rate, wheat-growing would be remunerative.