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RISING PRICES

QUESTIONS IN PAttLIAMENT . FLOUR, SUGAR, AND DRUGS I Several questions wero addressed to tho Prime Minister in tho House of Representatives last night relating to tho price of commodities and the work of the recently-appointed Food Coiiiniis6km. . "" ' The Hon. D. Buddo nskodl when' tho Commission was likely to report. Ho pointed out that there > had that day been announced, an increase of £lor £1 6s. per ton in the prico of sugar, and another £1 per ton in the prico of flour. He thought these increases wero not' justified, for it was juite impossible that tliey were the legitimate result of the outbreak of the war. The Prime Minister said ho had arranged; to have iiiterim reports from the Commission. The Commission was now gathering information as to tho prico' of wheat and flour,, and as soon as they had. taken evidence on the subject the report would be sent to the Government. The Commission had taken evidence in Wellington, and now they wore 1 sitting in Christchurch, and later they would go to Timaru. As soon as they had finished taking evidence in the South Island they would report to the Government. He would like to say, however, that he believed that there would have been an increase in the price of wheat even if there had been no war. He did not know what the Commission were going to recommend, but the Government would act upon tho recommendations. Mr. Ell: Thay are asking 6s a bushel for wheat now, •Mr. Massey: I think that is for seed wheat, and I may say that in consequence of the appeal I made to farmers at the outbreak of the war to plant more wheat, the demand for seed .wheat for spring sowing has been very great, The, Hon.' D. Buddo said that. the nominal price of milling wheat was 6s. a bushel, but it could not be bought at that, price. Mr. Massey said he knew that there was a scarcity of wheat in New Zealand, and he had endeavoured to provide against it. Hβ had placed an order in Sydney for. a quarter of a million bushels of wheat at what' he considered a very good price, and, although lie had obtained a'fair quantity, he had not been able to get anything like a quarter of a million bushels. Hβ recognised that this Australian! wheat, would not bo suitable for this spring: sowing in New Zealand, as Australian whent was useless here for seed purposes until it was acclimatised. The member for Kaiapoi had referred also to the price of 3ugar. Hβ would point out,, however, that the price now was the same as it wns in June of last year, and in view of this the price could not be said to be at normal. The price of sugar would, however, be considered by the Commission, and if tho Commission reported that the price was .being raised unduly the Government would take action. Mr. T. M. Wilford suggested that the Prime Minister should make inquiries through hie medical officers as to the possibility of obtaining supplies of chloroform, at any rate for the hospitals. Ho was informed that there was sufficient in New Zealand for five months or fchoreabouts, and in his opinion this supply should be augmented. Mr. Massey said tho inoreases reported in the price of drupjs had been referred' to the Commission, and would bo dealt with in due , course. He would ask the Minister of Public Health to make inquiries into the accuracy of tho statement that, there ..was a scarcity of chloroform. ">" ";' ':. ... ■' •

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19140912.2.12

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2253, 12 September 1914, Page 4

Word count
Tapeke kupu
601

RISING PRICES Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2253, 12 September 1914, Page 4

RISING PRICES Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2253, 12 September 1914, Page 4

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