WHEAT AND FLOUR DUTIES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 229, 27 August 1932, Page 12

WHEAT AND FLOUR DUTIES.

REPLY TO MR DE LA PERRELLE. Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 26. A reply is made by the 'Wheat Marketing Hoard to a statement made by Mr P. A. de la Perrelle, M.P., at Hamilton, that the present protective duties on wheat and fiour mean a much dearer loaf, and that he thought the wheat duties should be abolished. The Wheat Board states that it is in possession of cabled advice received to-day through the Department of Industries and Commerce that the cost price of a two-pound loaf in Sydney ranges from 4d to sd, while in Melbourne it is 4d. Dole bread is 3d. The price in Christchurch ranges from 3d to 4Jd for a two-pound loaf, and, allowing for slight increases in these prices for freight and charges on flour to the North Island (perhaps a farthing or even a halfpenny for a two-pound loaf), the board argues that it is difficult to understand how Air de la Perrelle could advocate the ruin of one of the principal industries in New Zealand. ‘‘lt may be added,” states the board, "that in Australia this year the Commonwealth Government is paying wheat growers a bounty of 4id per bushel on wheat, and the taxpayer has already paid over £3,000.000 in cash to the growers.” ‘•Mr de la Perrelle further states,” the Wheat Board's statement runs, ‘•that- if wheat farmers are protected, why not those who raise barley and oats? As everybody knows, barley for malting is protected by a duty of 2s per cental, and oats by a duty of Is 6d to 2s per cental, according to the country of origin. A remission of duty on feeding barley during the last year or two has very seriously crippled the barley growing" industry, with prices last year and this year down to below the cost of production.”