DUTY ON WHEAT

Hokitika Guardian, 27 August 1932, Page 5

DUTY ON WHEAT

REPLY BY BOARD TO STATEMENT BY MINISTER. (Per Press Association— Copyright.) CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 26, A reply is mad© by the Wheat Marketing Board to .the recent statement of Mr de la Perelle, M.P., at Hamilton that the present protective duties on wheat and flour mean a much dearer loaf and that he thought that the wheat duties should ho abolished. The Wheat Board states that it is in possession of cabled advice, received to-day, through the Department of In-' dustries and Commerce, that the oash price of the two-poundl loaf in Sydney, ranges from 4d to 5d,, while in Melbourne, it is 4d. The price of the dole bread is 3d per 2lb loaf. The Board state the price in Christchurch ranges from 3d to 4Jd per twopound loaf.. Allowing for a slight increase in these prices, for and the charges on the flour, to the North Island—perhaps a farthing or even a half-penny per two pound* loaf—the- ■ Board argues that it is difficult to understand how Mr do la Perelle could advooate the ruin of one of the .principal industries in New Zealand, ■ > "It may be added, states the Board, " that in Australia this year the Commonwealth Government is paying the . wheatgrowers a bounty of 4Jd per bushel on wheat, and that the taxpayer has already paidiqver three millions in cash to the wheat growers.”

"Mr de la Perelle further states,” so the Wheat Board’s statement runs, "that if the wheat farmers are protected, why not those who raise barley or oats. As everybody knows .barley for malting, is protected by ,a duty of 6d to 2s per cental, according to the country of origin. The, remission of the duty on feeding barley during the last year or two has very seriously crippled the barfey-growing industry, with the prices last year and this year down to below the cost of production.”

IMPORTS OF FOWL WHEAT.

WELLINGTON, Aug. 25.

Hon. R. Masters announced that the Government has decided to import at an early date, a quantity of wheat for distribution jn the North Island, ais poultry feed, at 5s 3d per bushel, exslups’ slings at Auckland and Wellington, and, if possible, the same price at Napier and New Plymouth.

CANADIAN WHEAT SCHEME.

OTTAWA, Aug. 25.

The Dominion Government wheat pool officials, the Prairie Provincial Government’s wheat pool officials and the tank officials have conferred on the financing of the marketing of this year’s Canadian wheat crop. It is understood that the Dominion Government is to guarantee the banks against any loss on the advances they make to the wheat pools, .with the Manitoba, Saskatchewan 'and Alberta Provincial Governments waiving their first margin securities on the current pool assetß, This is similar to th 6 credit guarantee plan on which last year’s crop was marketed.