SUPPLIES OF WHEAT

Otago Witness, Issue 3315, 26 September 1917, Page 25

SUPPLIES OF WHEAT

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, September 25. A paragraph in the Press stating that there was a shortage of wheat in Canterbury, that one largo mill had already closed down, and that others might bo closed down shortly, was referred to by Mr Witty in the House of Representatives this afternoon. He asked the Minister of Agriculture what he proposed to do in the matter, seeing that some millers and farmers were holding large quantities of wheat. The Hon. \v. D. S. MacDonald stated that the Government managed to get two shipments of Australian wheat before the strike. Acting on certain information received, the Government determined to secure tho wheat as quickly as possible, and after the discharge of the last shipment tho vessel was immediately sent back to Australia to load another shipment. Unfortunately, whilst she was loading the strike had occurred. The Government did know where the vesel was. She had been diverted to Fiji, where she had loaded sugar which had been landed hi Auckland, together with a small quantity of wheat loaded before the strike occurred. Tho Minister did not think any great anxiety need bo felt concerning the wheat supplies. Only six weeks ago the Primo Minister and ho had been bombarded by the millers with protests against tho great supply of Australian flour arriving in the dominion, and the next week they were talking about shutting down. His opinion, and that of tho Board of Trade, was that it was just as easy to shift flour as wheat from millers storing it up. •If it were necessary to do this it would bo done. The position in regard to stocks held by the farmers would also be investigated.

PROSPECT OF SHORTAGE. ANOTHER STATEMENT. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, September 25. The position in regard to tho supply of wheat for tho dominion was tho subject of an interview between an Evening Post reporter and the lion. Mr MacDonald this afternoon. The Minister stated that some of the mills had closed down, and there really wag a shortage, both in the South Island and tho North Island, but there was a considerable amount of flour at tho different ports of New Zealand, and from an economical point of view it did not appear that there would be any particular benefit in distributing wheat for milling purposes. There appeared to be a good deal of wheat in Canterburysufficient, as far as information was received to keep that district going until the end of the year. Tho chief difficulty would be Dunedin, Oamaru, Bluff, Palmerston North, and Auckland. Although some mills might have been shut clown, there was no anxiety at present in regard to the supply of wheat and flour. The Government's agents in Australian advised that there was no possibility of loading wheat for New Zealand in Sydney, Melbourne, or Adolaido. There would certainly bo a shortage of wheat at the end of tho year if the Government could not get supplies from Australia. It all depended on tho termination of the strike and the consequent supply of shipping. The Minister was reminded of tho fact that some days ago Mr Witty asked him a question as to the distribution of supplies among the millers. In answer, he said that the millers, as a whole, must have plenty of flour in stock that they could not get rid of. Those who held largo stocks of wheat had simply bought ahead. If the Government took the flour from theso mills it would have to pay the full rate of 5s iOd per bushel—the price fixed

in August,—and it would have to pay charges for transit and distribution, which. would bring tho prico up to something over 63 a bushel. That would me;in an increase in the cost of the loaf. The mere fact of one or two mills closing down did not affect tho position. As a matter of fact, tho big mills could-keep threo shifts going and make flour at 10s per ton cheapen than it they ran only ono or two shifts. Tho Board of Trade, it ia understood, will proceed to Canterbury to-night to investigate the position.