PRICE OF WHEAT.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13859, 20 April 1917, Page 3

PRICE OF WHEAT.

Statement by board op trade,

!. ':(P«r Press Association.)'.' OHBISTCHURCH/. April 19.' I Tho board also emphasises the fact tjng hero, - . Mr A. G, McDonald (chairman), in a statement to the press representatives tp-dav, said a statement, telegraphed from Wellington on the 13th instant, had beeii published in Christchurch and and Dunedin newspapers, and conveyed the information that the present year's price of wheat had been fixed at 5s 10(1 per bushel, f.0.b.. From information that has renchcd the. board, this inaccurate statement of the price has caused a little trouble. The actual feed prices are:—

: Tuscan, 5s 7d per bushel, f.o.b. Hunters, 5s 8d per bushel, f.o.b. Pearl and Velvet, 5s !)d per bushel, Vo.b;" •

.Witli a halfpenny aclditional each riiontlr'for storage during the months of May, June, July and August "limiting tho maximum prices from August Ist onwards:—. Tusdlln, 5s 9d per bushel, f.o.b. Hunters, Ss.lOd per bushel,, f.o.b. " Pfeart and Velveta,"ss lid per bushel;, f.o.b. Thoiioai'd'desires to emphasise'the fact that thp gazetted prices are all f.o.b, "

Tlie ,board.;.alsOv.(Hup.h(i3isei,.t)is,„fa';t j that- millers and merchants are right, in order- to arrive at the price of wheat at country statio)vs,7iii .(leduptiiig from the gazetted prices, the cost of transportation to the port, and f.o.b. charges (including wharfage : and Buclilike charges).

Complaints liave been received from time to time by the Government and the Board of Trade, tlmt the regulations governing the prices of wheat, Hour and offal have not been observed. So far as the Board of Trade can judge from returns that have been furnished either weekly or monthly (as required by regulations), no material infringements of regulations have occurred, but. in order to see that the regulations are being observed, the Hon, W. ]). S,- Mac Donald, president of the Board, has' appointed five inspectors, whose duty it will be to investigate every complaint that reaches them that the regulations are being broken, In addition, the inspectors, on 'their own initiative, can make such investigations as they deem advisable. . The inspectors appointed arc: — Mr A. D. Smith, Chief Grain Grader, Mr Alex Macphcrson, yields' Supervisor, Christcliurch. "Mr H. T. G. Turner, Fields Supervisor, Christcliurch. Mr Wm. Wills, Fields Supervisor, Duncdin, Mr W. J. McCulloch, Fields Supervisor, Invcvcargill. These inspectors have been directed to take instructions from, and report direct to the Board of Trade. During its visit to Christcliurch, the board discussed, with those interested, the advisableness of fixing the price of seed wheat, but the board is not yet in a position to state what its recommendation will be.