BRITISH WHEAT INDUSTRY.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18538, 8 April 1930, Page 9

BRITISH WHEAT INDUSTRY.

State Aid Proposed. FORECAST OF LABOUR SCHEME. (United Press Association —Bv Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) (Received April 9. 6.56 p.m.) LONDON. April 6. Information has reached the master bakers that Mr Snowden, in connection with the Budget, is considering a scheme providing for the compulsory use of a stipulated percentage of flour from British wheat in bread, accompanied by financial assistance for British wheat growing. It Is understood that the compulsory sliding scale, ranges from 7h to 20 per cent, according to the available supply of British wheat, but anything like 20 per cent, is at present impossible. It is assumed that the scheme involves the regulation of wheat imports, but as far as is known, there is no intention to differentiate between foreign, overseas and Empire flour. The bakers oppose any scheme preventing the purchase of flour for which the public has acquired a taste. The bakers throughout Britain are now using 20 to 30 per cent, of strong Canadian flours, blended with varying proportions of British, Australian and Argentine flour. They are considering 1 petitioning Mr Snowden, urging the use of established brands of blending under a system enabling proof from books that the requisite proportions have been observed. Mr Snowden’s proposals are regarded as menacing both Canadian millers and Empire producers. The Canadian Government is reported to be seriously perturbed, owing to the unsatisfactory state of the wheat market. “NOTHING TO FEAR.” VIEWS OF CANADIAN MINISTER. (United Press Association—Bv Electric Telegraph-—Copyright.) (Received April 7, 9.20 p.m.) OTTAWA, April 7. The Minister of Trade and Commerce (Mr Malcolm) stated that the Canadian wheat farmer had nothing to fear from the proposal of the British Chancellor of the Exchequer to compel British millers to use up to 20 per cent, of English wheat. “Canadian wheat,” Mr Malcolm said, “had never comprised more than 50 per cent, of the flour used in the United Kingdom, and Mr Snowden’s proposal should not prevent the use of the normal amount of Canadian wheat.”