FLOUR IMPORTATIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3764, 4 May 1926, Page 35

FLOUR IMPORTATIONS.

QUESTION OF DUMPING. REQUEST FOR PREVENTION. (From Oue Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON. April 29. A deputation from the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association ami the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, claiming to represent the primary producers of Canterbury, waited on the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. O. J. Haw ken) and the Minister ot Customs (the Hon. W. Downie Stewart) this morning and urged that the Government should enforce the anti-dumping laws in regard to flour, ami increase the duty on importations. The deputatiooisU stated that they did not wish the representatives of the press to be present. Afterwards it was stated that they represented to the Ministers that the millers could afford to pay 7s per bushel for wheat and sell their flour at £lB per tone and still make the good profits they had made in the past. The millers protested that ' flour was being dumped into New Zealand at £2 |>er ton cheaper than the figure ruling on the Australian market. The deputation urged that, as it was a general principle that the duty on the manufactured article should be greater than on the equivalent raw material used in its manufacture, the duty on flour which at present was only / on a par with that on wheat should be increased and the dumping be stopped. It is understood that the Minister of Customs made no promise to the deputation. The Hon. Mr Haw r ken in the coulee of a conversation with your representative this evening said he had informed the deputation that as far as the Governent was conmcerned nothing had arisen to warrant a change in its policy. He had already stated that the duty on wheat would be maintained. The idea that the millers needed an extra duty on flour to protect their industry was, at present at all events, I a mistaken one, for the miller did not have to buy wheat from outside. There was plenty of wheat in New Zealand, and naturally the miller gave to the farmer a price that would leave the miller a profit when competing with Australian flour. Judged by Australian standards the margin of profit to the miller in New Zealand, considering the price he receives for his flour and offal,, was, to say the least of it, ample. Asked about the prospects of wheat growing for the coming season, Mr Hawken said he understood there had been a ter markably good spell of weather this autumn in Canterbury, and the Govern? ment had done its best to induce farmers to grow wheat. The millers should now do likewise, for without New Zealand-grown wheat the millers would be down and out.; “It is to bp hoped." concluded Mr Hawken, “that every inducement, will be given farmers to take advantage of the favourable season and grow more wheat for the Dominion’s ’’