WHEAT DUTIES SUPPORTED BY MANUFACTURERS

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6633, 21 August 1931, Page 7

WHEAT DUTIES SUPPORTED BY MANUFACTURERS

Canterbury’s Appeal

IMPORTANCE OP INDUSTRY TO SOUTH ISLAND Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Last Night. A motion was submitted to the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Conference toeonferencc supports the sliding scale of wheat duties. It was favourably discussed by some of the delegates, but it was then pointed out that no motion could be sabinittel unless by unanimous consent as due notice had not been

given prior to tlie conference. The president from Auckland agreed that such was the ease, and while not putting the motion, said, had it been in order, it would have been carried by a largo majority of the delegates. The motion submitted by Mr. 1. Woolf (Canterbury) was: “That this conference suports the sliding scale of wheat duties and considers that the wheat industry should receive such protection as is necessary to maintain the welfaro of an essential industry vital to the welfare of the Dominion; that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Prime Minister and to the Associated Press of New Zealand,” Mr. Woolf read a lengthy extract from evidence given before the Wheat Commission showing the importance of the industry to Canterbury and Otago and the amount of labour engaged by the industry. He realised that there was some opposition from the poultry industry, but there were over 6000 wheatgrowers while there were only about 130 individuals affected who made a living entirely by poultry farming. If the wheat industry was not carried on it would mean ruin to Canterbury and Otago for somo years to come. He appealed to the delegates to look at the matter from a national aspect. If they could not help the wheatgrower then they should let all foreign wheat come in and Russian butter also. Through Russian dumping, wheat was at the lowest prico for 150 years. Mr. P. L. Hutchinson (Christchurch) second tho motion, saying that an economist had worked out what was gained by having a cheap loaf and found that the gain to the Dominion was about £250,000, He then worked out the other side and found that the loss to the Dominion by allowing cheap stuff to come in, was £500,000. They should maintain wheatgrowing as a matter of principle. The president (Mr. G. Pinn) Auckland, agreed that to take away the duties would endanger tho wheat industry of Canterbury. Many in the North Island were opposed to the wheat duty, but he was not. He knew the prico had been on the high side but that had now been rectified. Wheatgrowing was essential to Canterbury, for no other crop could take its place, and it was a crop which enabled the farmer to use his time throughout the year. Could they imagine what it would mean to the manufacturers of the Dominion if the duties "were removed. Mr. S. Takle (Auckland): “This motion has been sprung on the conference, and I am not prepared to vote on it.” The secretary (Mr. J. Findlay, of Auckland) drew attention to the rules which provide that no question shall be decidod or voted upon unless communicated as a remit to all the associations one month before the conference. Questions not covered by remits may be discussed, but no resolution can be passed unless with the unanimous consent of all the affiliated associations whether represented at the conference or not. Mr. Woolf: “We should show the farmers of Now Zealand that wo are sincere in our goodwill towards any New Zealand industry.”

Mr. P. Campbell (Wellington) moved that a vote be taken and suggested that Mr. Takle should refrain from voting. Mr. Pindlay said the Government had already reached a decision in the matter. There was no need for the Federation to pass the remit. Further, they had no instructions from the Auckland branch and could not commit that association. Mr. Woolf suggested that the motion be put and a majority vote bo taken, any objection being noted. The president ruled that the motion could not be put, but had it been sent forward in time as a remit he thought it would have been carried by an overwhelming majority.