THE IMPORTATION OF FLOUR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21979, 14 June 1933, Page 13

THE IMPORTATION OF FLOUR

TO THE EDITOR. SiK, —Recently you very kindly gave publicity to our complaint with regard to the fact that, owing to the restriction placed by the Wheat Board upon our purchase of wheat, we are unable to secure sufficient wheat to keep our mill going, and shall in a short time be compelled to end our activities for this year. We think that we, and our employees along with) us, are being treated in a most unjust fashion. The photographs which we enclose herewith give peculiar emphasis to our complaint. They depict the landing at Dunedin wharf last Saturday, from the City of Tokio, of approximately 115 tons of flour from the United States of America. This is the amount consigned to Dunedin alone. Presumably flour in proportionate quantities has been unloaded from this vessel at her other ports of call on the coast. The situation, Sir, seems to us an extraordinary one. Evidently New Zealand mills are not providing a sufficient amount of flour for the requirements of our population. Nevertheless we are not allowed to contribute our share to the satisfying of this demand, which is to be met by the work of foreign millers. At the same time the wheat which is denied ug is being shipped from the country. In your issue of May 20, it was stated that 8200 tons of wheat (90,000 sacks) had been shipped by the Welcombe from Lyttelton for Shanghai.

The total amount of foreign flour imported annually into this Dominion is 12,000 tons —a sufficient quantity to keep six mills of the same size as ours working 24 hours a day, six days a week, throughout the whole year. New Zealand mills are thus, employed only to grind sufficient flour to supply the requirements after allowance is made for importation of foreign flour. We cannot but feel that there is something wrong with the regulation of an industry which allows this state of affairs. If the quality of flour supplied by New Zealand mills is not (rood, it reflects no credit on those who Rave had the handling of the industry in the past and shows clearly thaft the establishment of a few free mills, which could establish a new standard of production, was very necessary. We ourselves have no hesitation in saying that a loaf made from our flour will compare favourably with .that made from imported flour, and mis is the verdict of all bakers who use it. There is, therefore, no need to import flour so long as our own wheat meets our requirements. Finally, Sir, even if it were necessary to import flour into New Zealand, some source of supply,, other than the United States could surely be found. Our .Australian colonies would welcome this trade in flour if New Zealand is so foolish as to continue this Gilbertian process of combining wheat exportation, flour importation, and restriction of supplies to New Zealand mills.—We are, etc., Star Milling Co., Ltd., Dunedin, June 13. A. L. Steven.