WHEAT AND FLOUR

Inangahua Times, 18 December 1931, Page 3

WHEAT AND FLOUR

INCREASED DUTY A PROTEST (United Press Aura.) NEW PLYMOUTH, Last Night. The decision of the Customs Department, to increase the duty on wheat and flour exported from Australia by the amoun\ of exchange premium on the f.o.b. price for imports, which would be obtainable at the rate current for the time being, irrespective of whether the importer receives the benefit of the premium or not, was the subject of a deputation of businessmen J to the Hon R. Masters, Minister fori Industries and Commt e.

In asking that the decision of the ( Department be not put into effect, Mr Gordon Fraser, said Australian flour was looked upon by the vast majority of bakers as a necessity for blending purposes and it was absolutely essential, during the period when the new season’s wheat was being used by local millers.

If the object was extra revenue, would not a decrease in duty be better, as it would largely increase tbe imports, but the sliding scale of duties was framed, not for revenue purposes but to, at least, restrict to a minimum, if not to abolish, the import of flour. This Order-in-Council, increasing the duty by, roughly, £1 a ton, would, to a large extent, directly nullify the reduction in duty that Parliament had decreed would operate next year.

These small imports of Australian flour were the only protection the public bad from prices being inflated by the Millers’ Combination.

The Hon Masters said, in reply, that the sliding scale of duty was not intended by Parliament to be a producer of revenue. It was protection of the milling and wheat industry of New Zealand. He would put the views expressed by tbe deputation before the Acting Minister of Customs, Mr Forbes.