WHEAT AND FLOUR DUTIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21734, 27 August 1932, Page 12

WHEAT AND FLOUR DUTIES

STATEMENT BY MARKETING BOARD MR PERRELLE’S VIEWS CRITICISED. (Pek United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, August 26. A reply is made by the Wheat Marketing Board to the statement by Mr P. A. de la Perrelle, M.P., at Hamilton that the present protective duties on wheat and flour meant a much dearer loaf and that he thought the wheat duties should be abolished. The Wheat Board states that it ;is in possession of cabled advice received to-day through the Department of Industries and' Commerce that the cash price of the 21b loaf in Sydney ranges from 4d to sd, while in Melbourne it is 4d and the dole bread is 3d. The price in Christchurch ranges from 3d to 4ld for the 21b loaf, allowing for a slight increase in these prices for freight and charges on flour to the North Island of perhaps a farthing or even a halfpenny on the 21b loaf. The board argues that it is difficult to understand how Mr Perrelle could advocate the ruin of one of the principal industries in Now Zealand. “It may be added,” states the board, “ that in Australia this year the Commonwealth Government is paying the wheatgrowers a bounty of 44d a bushel on wheat and the taxpayer has already paid over three millions in cash to the growers.

“ Mr Pcrrelle further states,” continues the board’s statement, “ that if the wheat farmers are protected, why not those who raise barley or oats? As everybody knows barley for malting is protected by a duty of 2s per cental and oats by a duty of Is (id to 2s per cental according to the country of origin. The remission of duty on feeding barley during the last year or two has very seriously crippled the barley growing industry, with prices last year and this year down to below the cost of production.”