PRICE OF BREAD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23369, 8 December 1937, Page 8

PRICE OF BREAD

PROTEST IN THE HOUSE STATE INTERFERENCE BLAMED WHEAT INDUSTRY DISCUSSED (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, Dec. 7. A protest against the price of bread was made by members of the Opposition during the debate oh the Supplementary Estimates of the Department of and/ Commerce, and Tourist and Publicity, in the House of Representatives to--night. The Opposition moved an amendment to reduce the total vote of £39,120 by £5. The amendment was lost on the voices, no division being called for by the mover, Mr. 3. G. Smith (Opposition, New Plymouth). An explanation of an item of £30,000 for the wheat industry was sought by Mr G. W. Forbes (Opposition, Hurunui) and by Mr fit. G. Dickie (Opposition, Patea). The latter pointed out that there was a sum of £150,000 provided for the wheat industry on the main Estimates, and he asked if the additional grant was designed to keep down the price of bread. The Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr D. G. Sullivan): Yes. Mr Dickie: If that is the case, I hope that something is going to be done to keep down the price of fowl wheat. Increase in Price of Flour The grant of £30,000, Mr Sullivan said, was to meet the increased cost to millers. The sum would have been more properly described as assistance to the flour* industry instead of a grant for the development of the wheat industry.. ,Th2 millers had asked for an increase of 25s a ton to meet the additional costs incurred through new awards. After an exhaustive investigation, the department had decided that they were entitled to 5s a ton, and the grant of £30,000 represented that sum. , After moving his amendment to reduce the vote as an indication that the price of bread was too high, Mr Smith said that the interference and muddlement of the present Government was responsible for the high price charged for the commodity. "I challenge the member for New Plymouth to show that there has been any muddlement by this Government,'- Mr Sullivan said. "The wheat, milling and baking industries are in a sound condition and are well satisfied with the administration of the Government. This amendment is just a ' stunt' by the member for New Plymouth." Mr Smith: Don't lose your temper. Mr Sullivan: Oh. be quiet! Policy Commended. The bread being sold in New Zealand to-day, the Minister said, wa3 probably the cheapest in the world. There was not a scrap of justification for the amendment. During recent weeks he had received resolutions from all sections Of the industry, commending the Government for what it had done. Mr Smith's criticism was most unfair, most unjust, and 100 per cent, incorrect. "The Government," said Mr J. G. Coates (Opposition, Kaipara), "has been successful in raising the price of the 41b loaf by not less than Id, and by as much as 2d in some rural districts. That is a direct result of Government interference. We now have something like a subsidy of £IBO,OOO to keep down the price of bread." Mr Sullivan: Your Government paid nothing to the wheat growers but something like £1,000,000 to the millers. Mr Coates: The Government is hoist with its own petard. Its administration of the wheat and milling industry is the clearest indication of incompetence and barren intelligence. Every man, woman and child has to suffer from the Government's administration. " Dearest Loaf in World " Mr Dickie said that New Zealand had the dearest loaf in the world, nor was it of the best quality either. Housewives all over New Zealand were complaining about the quality of the flour. Mr Forbes said that the Minister had visited the wheat-growing areas of Canterbury and that his visit was appreciated. It was only fair to say that the growers had passed resolutions expressing appreciation of what the Minister was doing. Exception to the criticism of New Zealand flour was taken by the Minister. Surely the Opposition got no satisfaction from attacking a valuable New Zealand commodity, he said. The importation of wheat from Canada and, Australia was largely the outcome of the effect of weather conditions on the New Zealand crop. All the complaints about the quality of the flour had come from districts where blending was permitted. Scarcely any complaints had emanated from the South Island, where none but New Zealand wheat was used. ■]

After other speakers had expressed their views, the discussion lapsed and the vote was passed.*