IMPORTATION OF AUSTRALIAN WHEAT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2862, 20 January 1909, Page 23

IMPORTATION OF AUSTRALIAN WHEAT.

The following extract from a letter verccived by Mr W. Evans from an Auckland correspondent should bo of interest to farmers who are holding wheat (says the Timaru Herald). The clipping referred to is a shipping note in an Auckland paper, giving the details from ports by the s.s. Wimmera, from Sydney. They included 1037 sacks of wheat. Mr Evans's correspondent, enclosing the cutting, remarks thereon: — "You will notice that wheat is now being brought here fromSydney. Last week's steamer brought about 1000 eacks, and this week's steamer a similar quantity. The wheat is both milling and fowl wheat, and costs, landed here, duty paid, 4s 3d to 4-s 4d. This is equivalent to 4s 5d to 4s 6d f.o.b. your port. We think it would be well for you to communicate this to your local press, so that your farmers may see they have not the mill at their feet, in the matter of wheat pcrioes any longer." Mr Evans informs us that quite lately he purchased between five and six thousand sacks at 4s 5d and 4s 6d, but he cannot continue to buy at such prices when he can •jet wheat cheaper from Sydney. Mr TJvans had a chat with Sir Joseph Ward about the duty on flour and wheat (£1 per ton and 9d per bushel respectively), and urged that they should be increased to the same as the Australian (£2 10s and Is 6d) in fairness to the farmers of New Zealand. Sir Joseph Ward saidthere was no chance of such a proposal being carried.