CURRENT TOPICS IN THE EMPIRE CITY

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3280, 25 February 1926, Page 9

CURRENT TOPICS IN THE EMPIRE CITY

Government's Decision On Wheat and Flour

WAR MEASURES, ‘LIMITED” AND ABSOLUTE CONTROL

(From Our Special Correspondent.) WELLINGTON Feb. 23.

Probably the farmers’ bonCerned are the only people entirely satisfied with the announcement made by the Government, this morning, In regard to wheat and flour. Having been released from the contract they made with the Government four or five months ago t they now are assured of a big price’ for this year’s crop and justified in expecting similar consideration in the years to come. The millers and the bakers are not quite 60 happily placed, a 8 an advance In the price of wheat presumably will mean an advance in the price of flour, and an advance in the price Of flour must affect the cost of bread. In the course of his statement on the subject the Minister of Agriculture says: *Tt Is unlikely the .'consumer will be called upon to pay anything extra for bread"; but It Is not easy to follow his line 0} reasoning In this respect. If wheat la dearer and flour is dearer, one being the natural consequence Of the other, It Is difficult to see how the price of bread is to be kept at its present level, unless the Government Is contemplating subsidising the bakers. The Minister has made no mention of anything of this kind and presumably the Government is content to allow the tax on the "Staff of life" to fall <jn the shoulders of those least able to hear, the burden. War Measures,

It la only because the Qeovernment has retained on the Statute Book war measures whifch were Intended to remain In force while th e very existence of the Empire was at stake that It is able to usurp the authority of Parliament.

Had Parliament had th e handling 1 of this matter it Is extremely doubttaful if It would have imposed taxation amounting to half a million and more upon the community in order that a few hundred Canterbury wheat-growers might be assured prices, 20 or 25 per cent above 'the World’s parity. If it had klven the wheat-growers any assistance at all It would have been by way of subsidy from the Oonsllldated Fund, which would have Insured every one contributing according to his means.. As It is, the wheat and flour dutlea; amount to nothing less than a levy upon the poorer classes, who of necessity use in proportion to their means, a much larger, quantity of bread than do the more fortunately situated members of the community. There are indications that if the Government does not voluntarily divest Itself of its existing was authorities next season, it will be‘urged very warmly towards that and by some of its own political friends who regard them as wholly unnecessary and entirely unconstitutional. The Limited Express. Reports of a more or legs sensational character continue to reach Wellington concerning the Limited express between the capital city and Auckland, most of them implying that sooner of later this train will be Over-taken by some dire disaster unless its speed is materially reduced. No doubt the reiteration of these stories has brought the "Limited” into soma disfavour, and It is no uncommon thing to see it moving out of Wellington with no more Chan twothirds of its seating accommodation occupied. It has been put about that even the Minister of Railways will not travel by this train, but no one who knows Mr. Coates at all Intimately will credit that tale. As a matter of fact, practical men in the service declare the “Limited” to be one of the safest trains in commission at the present time «,and as a matter of experience scores of regular travellers make a practice of using it whenever possible. The time it saves on. the journey between the two cities Is made up almost, entirely by th e fewer stoppages, and it takes no more risks than do the’ ordinary trains. : Travellers frightened away fr»»a the "Limited” by the current stories miss a very pleasant experience. Absolute Control. It is expected that at its meeting on Thursday, the Dairy. Control Board will decide definitely whether or 'not to go on with its preparations for the institution of “Absolute Control” on August 1 next. If it determines to proceed It will have to set up thoroughly equipped offices in all the appointed shipping ports, and provide staffs capable of taking over the whole of the export business now being carried on by private enterprise. A big undertaking of this description would occupy all the time remaining at the disposal of the Board, and the fact that it has not yet tackled the job suggests that a further postponement of the institution of "Absolute Control” may be in contemplation. The new Minister of Agriculture, with more business experience than the Hon. W. Nosworthy had, does not appear so keen as his predecessor was to hand over a great national industry to the unrestricted management of a body of amateurs, and the Prime Minister is known to look with thinly-disguised favour upon this scrni-poUtical interference with business affairs. However, the decision rests with the Board as a whole and as the chairman, Mr. Wm. Grounds, remains an ardent oontroUist, private enterprise canhot regard lightly the assault upon its domain.