THE PRICE OF FLOUR

Southland Times, Issue 17734, 11 August 1917, Page 5

THE PRICE OF FLOUR

POSITION OE SOUTHERN MILLS. STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER. I (Special to the Times). WELLINGTON, August 10. A question about the price of flour was asked in the House to-day by Mr C. H. Poole. A few days ago it was reported that the South Island flounuillers were feeling the competition of cheap Australian Hour so severely that they were in danger of being forced out of business. Mr Poole said that he had received a telegram from an Auckland baker to say that no cheap Australian flour was reaching Auckland. On the contrary Australian flour cost 10s per ton more than New Zealand flour, and the Australian flour was required for mixing with the local flour in order to make the best bread. The Prime Minister said he thought members of the House would understand the position. Early in the year the Statistician reported to the Government that there was not sufficient wheat in New Zealand to suffice for the population until next harvest. With this information Ministers considered it to be the duty of the Government to buy a quantity of wheat in Australia. Portion of this wheat had already been sold to millers in different parts of New Zealand. Within the last four weeks, however, the millers in the South Island had complained that they were suffering from severe competition on account of the very large quantities of Australian flour that were being landed in the south, and they asked the Government to reduce the price of the Australian wheat supplied to them by the Government. They said that if this were not done they would be compelled to close their mills. As a matter of fact within the last two or three flays information had come to him that two or three mills in Canterbury had closed down. Inquiries had been made regarding the matter and it would come before Cabinet during the week-end. He could not say what Cabinet would do. He hud his own opinions, and he would make a recommendation to Cabinet on the j statement made in the telegram. It seemed to him to be incorrect. This was the statement that Now Zealand wheat was soft and ' unsuitable for the manufacture of good flour, unless it was softer than usual. Mr Witty : It is harder than usual owing to the dry season. Mr Massey : If it is as hard as usual I don’t think there is any necessity for mixing with Australian wheat in order to make the best flour. 1 have known the best bread it is possible to make to he made from flour ground from New Zealand wheat. I know it is usual to mix Australian wheat with our own wheat, and this for a number of reasons. Mr Witty ; Is anything more being done about the wheat held by the farmers in New Zealand ? Mr Massey said he was not aware that anything was being done. Mr Witty ; Something ought to be done.