SHORTAGE OF EGGS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 19 February 1915, Page 6

SHORTAGE OF EGGS

FOWL WHEAT TOO COSTLY.' •GOVERNMENT HELP WANTED. The complaint of a Wellington pastrycook that the scarcity of eggs was embarrassing confectioners throughout New Zealand, was discussed the other day by Mr S. B. Bull, president of the Auckland Poultrykeepers' Association, in the course of an interview with a "Herald" l-eporter. He strongly opposed the proposal that the Government should suspend the import duty on eggs during the ■war, and suggested instead that fowl wheat should be imported to 6top any shrinkage in the egg production. Mr Bull explained that last year, owing to an amendment made to the Pure Foods Act, it was provided that desiccated eggs might be used in the manufacture of poultry. These eggs, which were made in Germany, cost about 9d per dozen, and bakers had used large quantities in preference to the local eggs. At the outbreak of war the supplies of German eggs had been cut off, with the result that bakers had been forced to turn to the local article. That, however, was no reason why the import duty should be removed.

"The poultry farmer is feeling the sjeneral pinch the same as everyone else." Mr Bull continued, "and it does not seem, rational to me to suggest that the import duty on eggs should be removed, thereby allowing outside TJroaucers to compete with the local producer. The poultry farmer of New Zealand has enough difficulties to cope with as it is. Recently, just before the first shipment of -wheat arrived in New Zealand, the Auckland Association asked the Prime Minister to reserve, say, 500 bushels .for the use of -members, pointing out at the same time that this wheat was not required for speculative purposes, but because it formed the staple food for fowls. Unless this staple food is made available, there will be a very great shrinkage in the egg-production of New Zealand!. Unfortunately, Mr Massey's reply was to the effect that as the Government is importing the wheat expressly for bread-making purposes, it was impossible to comply w'ith the association's request. The price of milling wheat, I would point out, was fixed at 5a 6d per bushel, but, absurd as it may seem, fowl wheat, an inferior article, is now being sold at 7s 9d- per bushel. In spite of this position the price paid to the egg producers has not risen, for whereas in 1913, when fowl wheat was sold at 4s 3d er bushel, Is 5d per dozen was paid to the farmers for eggs. The same price is now being paid when fowl wheat is being sold for 7s 9d per bushel. "Personally, I think the Government should import fowl wheat and distribute it to recognised bodies of poultry-keep-ers in a manner similar to that adopted in connection with the milling wheat. Our association is taking steps to bring this proposal before poultry-keepers at the Dominion conference to be held shortly." ! j_J