ATTACK ON WHEAT DUTY

Taranaki Daily News, 27 October 1932, Page 7

ATTACK ON WHEAT DUTY

MR. WILKINSON’S CAMPAIGN

SHORTCOMINGS OF INDUSTRY.

SUPPLY BELOW REQUIREMENTS.

METHODS OF HOUSE CRITICISED.

('By Wire —Parliamentary Repotter.) . - Wellington, Last Night.

Complaint was made by Mr. C. A. Wilkinson (Ind., Egmont) in the House to-day at r the slow progress made with legislation during the first month of the session, and by way of a counterblast to the defensive remarks of some members in replying to. criticisms of Parliament he said & good deal of this criticism was justified. ' i Drawing attention to the fact that no Bills had yet been passed, Mr. Wilkinson said it was time the members applied themselves in a businesslike way to the conduct of public business. If they went along at the present pace it would be impossible to complete by Christmas the business they had been called together- to transact. , . ■Three weeks before Parliament- met the Prime Minister was reported in the newspapers to have stated that no Consideration had then been given to the legislative' proposals -for the present - It was the duty of the Cabinet- during the recess to consider every legislative measure it was intended to place before Parliament, arid these should be ready when, the members assembled. There had been far too much delay thin year. , , ‘ Dealing with the. thorny question of wheat, duties) Mr. Wilkinson said the present imposts on’ flour - added 2 3-Sd io the>cost of-the 41b. doaf. Notwithstanding the high duties bn flour and wheat, ( the country had to import large quantities of both. During the past tour years and eight months 2,206,000 bushels’ of wheat had* been -imported. Th£ ; duties on. wheat were., almost-the highest placed on anything entering the. ( country, yet the'growers in New Zealand were unable to supply the quantity and- quality of the product required. The country was paying far too 'dearly for the upkeep of an industry which could not supply the consumers’ wants. As soon as/there-was shortage’ in' the wheat supply it had to be augmented by importations. Flour-importations ran into thousands of tons during the past few years. With the duties and freight the local producer was enjoying a protection of 118 per cent, on imports of flour and 143 per cent, on wheat. Even with this huge advantage the. grower could not supply the market. Recently the Government deliberately broke the tariff law and itself imported wheat from Australia at a rate of duty considerably below the rate which should have been charged. It seemed the Government was now intent upon protecting the millers, quite apart from the 6000 wheat-growers for whose benefit one and a-half million people in New Zealand were paying excessive prices.