FLOURMILER'S COMPLAINT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12085, 14 August 1917, Page 5

FLOURMILER'S COMPLAINT.

PREFERENCE TO AUSTRALIAN FLOUR. AND LOCAL MILLS PENALISED. One of the principals in a. flournnillmg business, which is among the largest in New Zealand, admits that, he is gravely concerned with regard to die milling situation. Chatting to a "Star"' reporter this morniug. lie said tint, the firms stocks of wheat would be exhausted by the m*iddl e of October, or at the latest, the end of that mon'Ti. And t-rmre was no more wheat in sight. The Government would givo no information as to what v.hcair. might ho expected irom Australia, to land at Lyttehon, or when, or at what price. Tho position was a decidedly awkward one, for tlm esca.hlishmcut and ecu duct of a flour mill necessitated the employment of considerable capital and skilled lalxur*. And while this uncertainty was making the lives of the millers anything but enviable, die Government's handling of the flour problem was Clausing additional worry and hardship. Reviewing the: action ot the Government in respect of Dominion wheat, it was recalled that the Government gazetted a fixed of wheat, a.nd on that, basis also feed the maximum selling price of flour at £1.5 per ten. The intentions of the Governmcn't to prevent, any higher price being charged was clearly set out in iho "Gazette"' at xh" time as follows: "Every person who, wiVthpr as principal, agent or otherwise, buys or sells or is in any manner concerned in the buying or selling of wheat, flour, bran or pollard at a. price in excess of the maximum price thereof as determined by an Order-in-Couticil fov the time being in force under the Regulation of Trade and Commerce Ac", 1914, shall be guilty of an offence against the;-e regulations, and shall he liable accordingly.'' Now, whilst the Government seems unable to procure space for the. conveyance of Australian wheat, purchased by the Government, to the Zealand millers, it is possible for private firms to land Australian flour in this country; am], whilst the local miller is unable to sell above the £ls per ton fixed as the maximum, tho seller of Australian flour can get £l6 IDs a ton. "Our prices,' 5 continued tho miller, " are fixed, and theirs are. left, untouched. The Government is taking no action for this breach of the regulations. We have asked, time after time, to oe placed on the same level as Australian millers, by making the New Zealand import duty £2 lOs a ton. which is the amount levied by the Commonwealth _ against any Now Zealand flour going into Australia. The duty here is"only £1 a ton ; but the Government, has never done anything, and never will do anything, 1 think. T mention this matter just to show that, whilst people think the millers are fair game for their criticism, the life of the New Zealand miller is not by any means a bed of roses." MILL EMPLOYEES' PROTEST. [Per Press Association.] TIMARU, August. 14. The Flour Mill Employees' Union has parsed a. resolution protesting against the action of the Government in allowing Australian flour to Ik>. dumped in New Zealand 'to the detriment of the flour trade here, and stating that if relief is net soon given the mills, which are full of flour, will hav c . 'to be shut down and the men will be out of work. The union telegraphed this resolution 'to Mr Massey, who replied that, the flour position is receiving the earnest consideration of the Government.