THE WHEAT DUTIES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 199, 22 August 1929, Page 7

THE WHEAT DUTIES

SELECT COMMITTEE AT WORK. ALL SIDES TO BE HEARD. 1 Per .ess Association, i WELLINGTON, Aug. 21. The first public meeting of the Special Select Committee of the House of Representatives set up to consider the wheat duties, was held in Parliament Buildings to-day. Evidence was tendered by representatives of the Customs Department, Department of Agriculture, and Industries and Commerce.

The Minister of Agriculture said the committee had an important duty to perform, as all sections of the community were vitally affected, and he thought the information submitted to the committee would be of immense benefit

It was decided that all sides of the case should be heard. There had been some feeling in regard to the price of bread, and it was possible that evidence to be given would clear that up.

The Controller-General of Customs said that for the purpose of fixing the duty on wheat, current domestic value was taken into consideration, and 5s 6d per bushel was taken as the base. If the value was 5s 6d a bushel the duty was Is 3d per bushel, and it rose or fell by a halfpenny per bushel for every half-penny by which the value rose or fell. ’The current domestic value also governed the duty on flour. If the price was £l3 10s per ton the duty was £3 10s per ton, rising and falling by a shilling a ton for every shilling by which the value rose or fell. In 1928 the average duty was £2 10s per ton, and for the first six months of this year, £2 19s 7d. The duty on wheat in 1928 was Is 3d and for the first six months of this year, Is 5d to 3s 4d.

Dr Cockayne, Assistant '■Director of Agriculture, gave as one reason why wheat growing had become unpopular, was that farmers found other forms of farming pursuits more profitable. Owing to the peculiar conditions obtaining in Canterbury it was essential that the Canterbury farmer should grow wheat irrespective of any other considerations, fiscal or otherwise. To Mr McCombs: If the price of wheat were exceedingly low it would still be necessary for Canterbury farmers to grow a certain quantity of wheat. One would not view the wheat position with so much apprehension were it not for the fact that the wheat crop of Canterbury was definitely pn the decline. He agreed that wheat growing dovetailed in with stock raising. There was a general tendency for average yields to increase. Weather conditions of the past few years had been a factor. Other factors had been the increased use of manures and phosphate. To Mr Jones, asking what effect a stabilised or reasonable price would i have upon production of wheat, Dr |Cockayne said: “I don’t know whe-

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ther that is a policy point or not, but I would say this: that if a farmer was not terribly scared of low prices he would be more inclined to grow wheat. ’ ’

ADJOURNED TILL TUESDAY. [ Per Press Association ’ WELLINGTON, Aug. 21. At the wheat inquiry, Mr Collins, secretary of the Department of Industry and Commerce, submitted figures covering the position with regard to the imports and exports of wheat, flour, etc., and the value of the milling industry to the country in capital, labour, etc. The committee has adjourned till Tuesday.