HIGHER DUTY

Hokitika Guardian, 28 January 1927, Page 2

HIGHER DUTY

ON AUSTRALIAN FLOUR. BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT. WELLINGTON. January 27. The Acting Prime Minister. Mr Downie Stewart, dealt to-day with the question of the imports of flour, and replied to his critics, and particular]) those in Canterbury, who urge it would be for the welfare of the Canterbury wheat growers if wheat were not imported from Australia at lower price than selling in Australia itself. Mr Stewart said that he was fully alive to the difficulty, but he was hound to sqe that a reasonable supply of flour for the Dominion’s requirements were available in New Zealand, up till the time that the new crop is ready for milling. Importations were absolutely essential to bridge the gap caused bv the threatened serious shortage of flour. This shortage was known to some of his critics. It was beyond all reason to suggest that, by imposing extra duties, he should check the necessary importations of flour, and should compel the public to pay a higher price, when there were insufficient supplies on the local market, and the new wheat crop would not be ready for milling till near the end of February. No Government, be said, could possibly justify the making of imports more difficult and more costly while the New Zealand wheat-growers’ crops were not ready. Importations of flour were not being made or being arranged for in excess of the country’s requirements.

The importations in sight, plus the local supplies, are sufficient, the Minister thinks, to fill the gap. but at the present stage it would not be in the general interest to impose a dumping dutv.

What is proposed now is to admit, without any dumping duty, lines of Hour from Australia for which definite contracts have been made not later than January 27th. 1027. Such contracts must have specified shipment by vessels sailing from Australia during January or February. The flour must reach New Zealand not later than the end of February. Flour which does not fulfil these conditions will have to pay an assessed dumping duty. It is expected that as a result of this decision, no further business will be done between New Zealand and Australia by importers of Australian supplies at what can properly be regarded as dumping prices.