WHEAT DUTIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21772, 11 October 1932, Page 9

WHEAT DUTIES

PLEA FOR SLIDING SCALE A SYMPATHETIC MINISTER. (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, October 10. The Minister of Agriculture (Mr C. B. Macmillan) was present by invitation at a meeting to-day of the wheatgrowers and allied interests, at which about 300 persons were present. . The case for the retention of the sliding scale of duties was presented by Mr W. W. Mulholland, chairman of the Wheat Marketing Board, and Mr W. Maehm, chairman of the Associated Chambers ot Commerce. One point made in the spefthes was that the wheatgrowers’ share in the price of the 21b loaf was 1.64 d. Mr Macmillan repeated the declaration which he made at Timaru regarding the wheat duties. He said he was wholly in support of an adequate return being made to the producer, but lie was opposed to all forms of exploitation. He thought that conferences of growers, brokers, millers, and all concerned in the handling of wheat might result in improvements in the distribution of wheat and flour and in a reduction of costs between the farmer end consumer. He suggested the adoption of a scheme similar to that adopted in the distribution of fertilisers, by which a higher charge may be made at or near the point of production and the charge reduced to buyers at more distant centres.