THE WHEAT QUESTION

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12392, 11 March 1926, Page 8

THE WHEAT QUESTION

SHOULD THERE RE SUBSIDIES WELLINGTON DISCUSSION CHAMBER OF COMMERCE A discussion concerning the wheat question, arose at last evening’s meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, when the export and produce committee of the chamber reported as follows: “The resolution passed by a joint meeting of the North Taranaki ha rulers’. Union and the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce dealing with the wheat and flour question, has been before your committee, and recommendation is made that support be given to the part of the resolution reading as follows: —‘That the policy of nigh protection and subsidies for the purpose of encouraging the production of sufficient wheat for local requirements during the war period has not only failed in its object, but has also increased the cost of wheat, flour, and byproducts to the whole community. The necessity for that war measure no longer exists.* ” The adoption of the report was moved

by Mr J. T. Martin. Mr F. W. Vickerman opposed the motion on the ground that the question had become political. Mr G. Mitchell described as unsound the giving of subsidies to a limited number of farmers, as that meant penalising a majority of the people. Sir A. Leigh Hunt said that if we depended on Australia we would never know the time when a shipping strike would hold up the whole of our supplies; the waterside workers of Australia .would have their hands on our ' throats and be able to cut off our bread supplies at anv time. It was resolved: “That the policy of subsidies and arbitration fixation of prices for the purpose of encouraging the production or sufficient whe;’J for local requirements is unsound, ana should be discontimied.” A committee was appointed to wait on the Minister for Agriculture to inquire what was being done to meet the situation.