AN ACUTE POSITION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11207, 13 October 1914, Page 2

AN ACUTE POSITION.

ROM SUPPLY IN SOUTH. - SMALL MILLERS IN DIFFICULTY. PRIME MINISTER" ON OUTLOOK. (Special to the " Star.") WELLINGTON, October 12. A further question was put to tho Prime Minister to-night on the already harassing subject of the regulation .if foodstuff prices and the work of tho Commission. Mr Russell was tho questioner, and he explained that from letters ho held it was evident; the position of foodsuffs was becoming very I article in the South Island. A oonstitu- ' ant of Mr Buddo's had written to ; him, stating that for years past he ! had dealt with a particular firm, but in reply to a recent order for flour ho [ had received an answer stating that the Arm regretted being unable to supply, as their mills were shut down for overhaul, and they had no flour i in stock- The writer of the letter did not accept tho reply as a satisfactory statement of the case, the apparent intention being not to supply. Another letter had reached him from a prominent man in tho Ashbnrton district, who declared that tho refixing of the prices of flour was going to seriously aifect a lot of tradesmen in his (Mr Russell's) district. A large 'number of bakers, storekeepers and. tradesmen, iie wrote, relied for flour on mills outside the Association. For tho first few weeks tho finest wheat had been poured into these mills at the watered price of 5s 3d. To mako flour at £ll 'lds por ton out of this would mean a loss, probably of about £6OO a month. The position was,- the letter continued, that about two mills only were selling, flour to-day at £ll 15s. They were the only two ncli enough to invest in a stock of wheat- for twelve months. There were fourteen ' or fifteen Canterbury mills that hid been obliged to buy at os 3d, while as hia:h as 5s 9d had been paid. Tlnv were not going to make flour at £ll 153. and the result would be that the bakers would Soon not be able to bake bread for want of :t. "I suggest," said Mr Russell, "that tiio.Primo Minister investigates to see how far these, statements represent the actual position. If they are

correct, then very soon a large number of the public will be unablo to tibia in bread at all." A PESSIMISTIC VIEW. Tho Prime Minister said that it was quite evident a serious difficulty had arisen in Now Zealand over the attempt to fix the price of foodatuirs. Exactly the same thing had happened in Australia, where the attempt had practically broken down. Wheat had been fixed at 4s 2d por bushel in NewSouth Wales, 4s 9cl m Viotonii and 'ls 10d in another State, cousins serious inconvenience and losses. The. case of Now Zealand was not parallel. Australia had enough wheat for its requirement?!, but in New Zealand this was doubtful, and for this he had the opinion of tho chairman of tho Food Commi ec, 'on. Mr Witty: Why not take an immediate census? . w Tho Primo Minister: Tho Commission done it« but fmnnl : t pract.'cnllv impossible. •He added that Hip Commiss'on was due back in Weli lingtoii on Tuesday, nrrl ho exneeted jan early report. "I don't want to ' a perfsimisMc view," enncludcd ~1 r 1 Ma?scy, "but I ara al'Vaid there if n serious in pormrct'on with the supply of wheat and flour."