DUTIES ON WHEAT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21247, 29 July 1932, Page 10

DUTIES ON WHEAT

GOVERNMENT'S PURCHASE FURTHER CRITICISM VOICED Further criticism of the wheat duties and comment on the Government's recent purchase of wheat in Australia was voiced at a meeting of the council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce yesterday. Mr. W. A. Boucher said the Government should be nailed down to giving a date when the wheat and flour duties would be revised downward. To Mr. Harvey Turner's that the Government could be asked when a -fresh agreement would be made with the Canterbury wheatgrowers, the president, Mr. A. M. Seaman, replied that the Minister had already been communicated with. Mr. Gainor Jackson said the position was iniquitous. The matter had been side-stepped all along and they did not seem to be getting any farther. The Minister had denied the chamber's charge that wheat had been bought in Australia at a price higher than the ruling rate, but ho had not said what price was paid for the wheat. Mr. C. E. Clinkard said ho was not sure that the right language was being used in their criticism. He thought they would find that there was a complete answer to the chamber's allegation, and that it was as well to wait for the Minister's reply to the chamber's letter. Mr. Jackson said his statement that the position was iniquitous did not refer to this particular purchase of wheat, but to the whole question of wheat duties. Mr. Seaman said that if, as Mr. Clinkard suggested, there was a complete answer to the criticism, then there was dilatoriness on the part of the Minister in not answering the chamber's letter.