PRICE FOR WHEAT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21325, 28 October 1932, Page 13

PRICE FOR WHEAT

EQUALITY NECESSARIY NORTH AND SOUTH ISLANDS ARGUMENTS OF MINISTER [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Thursday The necessity of ensuring that the price of milling wheat should be the same 5n the North Island as in the South was emphasised by the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. C. E. Macmillnn, during his Budget speech in the House this evening. "The member for Egmont was under a considerable misapprehension when he spoke yesterday," began Mr. Macmillan. "There was nothing inconsistent in what I said about wheat duties in Hamilton and what I said about them in Timaru and Christchurch." Mr. P. Eraser (Labour —Wellington Central): Just a difference in latitude. Mr. Macmillan: We all know how temperamental the hon. gentleman is and I am afraid he is affected by climatic conditions. I, of course, am not so much affected. Statement in the South The Minister went on to read a statement which he made to growers in the South Island, both at Timaru and at Christchurch. He said representatives of the growers were quite satisfied that there was room for investigation into the costs of milling wheat as it went from producer to consumer. "I hope to ask the member for Egmont to attend a conference and state the views *of the North Island when the growers from the South Island come to meet me," ho continued. "I shall bo more friendly to tho hon. gentleman than he was to me last night, so I shall say merely that it was pressure of business which prevented him from coming to Timaru at the request of growers there." Mr. Macmillan said he had suggested that there should be some equalisation of price as between North and South Islands. He thought it must be agreed that all consumers should be placed on the same footing. That view was appreciated in the South Island. The producer there got tho benefit of the sliding scale and it had never been intended that groups of merchants in either island should get the benefit. Evidence oi Figures Mr. C. L. Carr (Labour—Timaru): You believe they are getting the benefit? Mr. Macmillan: From figures which have been placed before me, I believe they are, particularly in such a time as the present when supplies of the commodity are short and there is a tendency toward cornering. It would do away with many difficulties if the people in the South Island who handled wheat, and had it handled under legislative authority, were to see that the price at Lyttelton and other South Island ports was the same as the price at which it was landed at North Island ports. Mr. A. Harris (Government —Waitemata) : It was done in the case of sugar. Mr. Macmillan: At present one section of consumers has an advantage over another section. Canterbury lands are suitable for wheat and there it is necessary to plant it to secure rotation of crops. We can grow wheat in the North Island, but that would mean duplication of machinery, because the freight from Lyttelton to Auckland is little less than the freight from Sydney to Auckland. Tho feeling in the North Island is that the consumer as well as the producer in the Scyith Island has an advantage. A suggestion for equalisation of prices has met with a ready response and should appeal in the North Island. Mr. C. A. Wilkinson (Independent— Egmont ): Provided the price is reasonable. Mr. Macmillan: If the price is unreasonable the hon. member will have on his side all the consumers in tho South Island.