FOWL WHEAT PRICES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21153, 9 April 1932, Page 14

FOWL WHEAT PRICES.

REMOVAL OF DUTY URGED. PROTEST TO PRIME MINISTER. NO" NEED FOR PROTECTION Pressure on the Government to allow, "the importation of fowl wheat into the North Island from Australia free of duty but under licence restricting its use for poultry is being brought by grain merchants and poultry keepers, who describe' the present position as " scandalous and anomalous." • A telegram forwarded to the Prime Minister, the Kt. Hon. G. W. Forbes,-by the Auckland Grain, Seed and Produce Merchants' Association, stated:—"Fowl vheat prices have advanced from 4s to 4s 9d in the South Island, ecjual to 5s lOd here, and evtn at this high price it is difficult to procure. Therefore, we request permission to import free of duty for fowl feed purposes only." " The only reply we have received is the usual formal one acknowledging the message and stating that the matter is being considered," tiie secretary of the association, Air. C. F. Rosscr, said yes-

tcrday. A memorandum circulating among merchants and poultry keepers contends that the operation of the new sliding scale of duties does not bear out the contention of the Prime Minister in Parliament that " This reduction, while giving the wheatgrower protection for his product, will at the same time substantially reduce the prices of flour and bread, and will, through the resulting lowering of, the price of wheat, assist the poultry fanner and pther users of the latter commodity." It is pointed out (hat in March last year, under the old scale of duties, fowl wheat was quoted at 4s 7d a bushel f.o.b. Lyttelton, but that, to-day, although the duty is Is Id lower, the price is 4s 8d to 4s 9d a bushel. The higher price is said to be accounted for by the fact that, comparatively speaking, 'there was no /owl wheat in the South Island harvests this year. On account of the dry weather, practically all the wheat was milling quality.

It is contended that fowl wheat could be reduced Is 3d a bushel if the Government removed the duty on importations of such wheat into the North Island.

"yThe Government cannot refuse to 'remove the duty on such North Island fowl wheat importations on the ground that it is at variance with the principle of the sliding scale of duties, for two reasons, * the memorandum says. "There is obviously almost a total shortage of good whole fowl wheat in the South, certainly ior the North Island requirements, and, therefore, there is no wheat industry to protect. Since 4s B£d is the value of milling wheat, as agreed upon by the wheat farmers themselves, it is riot the purpose of, but a departure front, the principle of the sliding scale of duties, that fowl wheat should command from the North island public as high a price as milling wheat, with the prospect and possibility of the fowl wheat price rising much higher stAl." I