WHEAT INQUIRY.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 226, 24 September 1929, Page 8

WHEAT INQUIRY.

FLOURMILLERS' VIEWS.

SLIDING DUTY LIKED

PEOTECTIVE POLICY SUPPORTED

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

The Select Committee of the House , of Representatives, which is considering the wheat duties, resumed its public sittings to-day, when much evidence was given on behalf of the millers in favour of the retention of the present sliding scale. Mr. R. K. Ireland, giving evidence on behalf of Disl ibutors, Ltd., said he had been connected with the fiourmilling industry from his youth, and he was now chairman of the company. During the past 30 yea'rs they had operated their mills: (a) Under a fixed rate of duty, (b) under Government control, (c) under the- present sliding scale of duties. In his opinion the sliding scale gave the best results. The policy of New Zealand in the last 40 years had leaned toward protection, Mr. Ireland said, and it seemed to him that if protection were necessary in any industry at all an overwhelmingly strong case could be made out for protecting the agricultural industry, the object being to make tho Dominion self-supporting as far as wheat and flour were concerned. He stressed the need of this in times of war, national stress, and maritime strikes. It was good business to make New Zealand self-supporting in regard to food supplies. Bad Effect of Change. The wheat lands gave a greater net return from wheat than they would if used for other purposes. If New Zealand abandoned wheat growing in favour of sheep-raising there would be a dislocation of labour. There would be a drift of labour from country to town, and also most of the flourmill employees would have to be discharged, for undoubtedly flour would be imported rather than wheat. Without protection the area devoted to wheat would be greatly reduced. The sliding scale had prevented violent fluctuations in prices, and had given a fair price to the farmers. Another reason why New Zealand should be self-supporting as far as wheat was concerned was the dependence of the dairying, pig and poultry industries on Dominion supplies of bran and pollard. Fifty thousand tons of bran and pollard, and 5000 tons of meal was manufactured annually. If New Zealand had been dependent on Australia for these the duty-free cost would have been £30,000 more. Undue Profits Denied. Mr. Ireland said he desired to say, on behalf of the New Zealand millers, in reply to statements that they were making undue profits, that they had no more fear of the results of an investigation of their books and profits than they had during the period 1916 to 1924. It was not correct to say that the millers refused to buy wheat from the pool. Rather had it been the pool which had discouraged the growers to sell wheat. They were not antagonistic to the pool, which did not have sufficient control of crops to be a menace.