THE WHEAT DUTY QUESTION

Taranaki Daily News, 28 April 1930, Page 12

THE WHEAT DUTY QUESTION

BREAD TOO DEAR ALREADY.

CHANGE OF POLICY ADVOCATED. (Special to News). Invercargill, Last Night. “If the country recognises the just claims of the farmer, not only in railway matters but in the direction of reducing costs, then the fanners, especially in the South Island, must do their share in recognising the claims of the country,” said Mr. WJ. Polson, M.P., in speaking t>f the wheat duties in his address at Invercargill on Saturday. The cost of bread, he said, was too high and must be reduced. Last session the question had ben referred to a political committee, most of whom were South Islanders. This committee had failed in its duty by recommending the removal of duty on wheat offal only, thus placing members of Parliament in the position of having to support its findings in order to get the reduction on offals or else vote against the report and obtain no relief at all. The reproach had been levelled that pigs were of more consequence than the people, and that reproach must be removed. The matter, in any case, could not rest where it stood at present. Mr. Polson pointed out that the committee had made no recommendation regarding the cost of distribution, but tho evidence showed that the farmer received 4d for the flour that went to make a loaf and nothing for the offal obtained in the milling. On tho other hand, the consumer paid Is 2d for the loaf alone. Hence it was obvious the spread was too great between the price to tho producer and that to tho consumer.

“We in New Zealand cannot abandon protection, but wo can cultivate a common Imperial outlook and support Imperial preference. The Empire produces all its needs within tho Empire and it seems to mo that a national clearing house is needed to assist trading ar- * rangeinents by instituting a triangular agreement between Dominions wliicle cannot trade directly -with' one another.”