AUSTRALIAN FLOUR FOR LOCAL NEEDS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2267, 29 September 1914, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN FLOUR FOR LOCAL NEEDS

BAKERS AT A LOSS INTERESTING CORRESPONDENCE I .. , . ' The sudden cutting off of all supplies of Australian Hour by tho order of tie Commonwealth Government has had ar ofrect a.deal.moro far-reaching than the public is aware of. For many years now, Australian flour has been imported'; by local bakers, who have found that the harder product of Australia blended with iSew:Zealand-flour makes excellent bread. ■ The Australian flour gives, a better consistency, and is an admirablo stiffener'l of the softer pi-oduct of the southern mills. Another point is that ,tlio. steady importation of flour from tho Commonwealth has necessarily restricted the output of the New Zealand Hour mills to local requirements, » and the extra demand made cannot be satisfied all at-once. At first it was thought that New- Zealand was not meaut to be included iii the prohibition but'cablegrams sentry the Prime Minister and local merchants have given no indication that we are to be so favoured. . As it turns out, Australia has been 'very close to a serious drought, and the cereal crops are expected to be shortthis season, though rain has at length broken up the drought. Tho'probability is that the weather condition's have been more to blame than the war for the/prohibition placed on the export of flour from Australia: '

Gabled inquiries. Through the secretary of the association'(Mr. H. F. Allen), the master bakers .of Wellington,, some of whom use Australian flour extensively, endeavoured to have the restriction removed as far as flour ordered on contract was concerned. The merchants through whoni it was ordered could not fulfil their obligations owing to the action of the Government, and they have had to inform their'clients, accordingly. In ■order to see'if anything could be done in the dirdction indicated, Mr. Allen cabled oh September 19 a:s follows to Mr. Kirton, secretary of the Master Bilkers' Association in Melbourne:— ; "_Will 'your association assist us by .urßingFederil Government remove prohibition export Hour ,to New Zealand, it least so far as contracts; are co'ncerned? Jiillors here unable' guarantee supplies. Price quoted '£14''delivered ■ Wellington bakehouses!. Reply Kreatly esteemed.—H. F. - Allen, Secretary Wellington Master Bakers'." The following-reply was promptly received :—"Cable immediately, quantity of flour involvod contracts also general total.—Kirton." '. .. To that message Mr. Allen replied:— "Thanks., 'Existing. Wellington contracts ,1715 tons. General total imports 500 tons month Dominion." (Wellington?) ■~'•' . .! Since this cable was .dispatched on September 17, Mr: Allen has received uo further advice. ''.■'.•;'■' ■";-. . Reciprocity? '..' ' : ■ In the course of a covering lettersent to Mr. .Kirton,. Mr. H; F. .Allen wrote:— , .' ' .'. ■'■'■'.'Though at the present time.it is not quite clear thai we shall have to face a.shortage of flour in this country, still there is an indication of it. Our farmers have found it moro profitable to praqticivlly confine their attentions to raising sheep; and cattle owing to tho pood pricos 'which.' they .' can obtain. Then our. dairy farmers- are,doing, so well that! wheat-growing,;has!sulfered in this.country,. !l | 'urth'e'rmore,!. it. is declared that.the best broad .is.made of , a mixture of. : Australian,and NcV;,Zealand flours. On this account, New Zealand lias been a good customer to Australia M the matter of-buying .flour,' Con,traots have'been, entered, into, and buy-iiig-of Australian flour ,has 'been ar.ranged for months in advance. Until the war. broke out all went- well, 'but owing to the Australian' Federal Government, prohibiting the export of flour even to this Dominion, many, of the •master bakers have been placed in 'an awkward predicament. -They had bought Australian: flour in advance, and suddenly found those supplies cut off. ■ Following, the announcement of that information, the prices of New Zealand; 'flour advanced another £1, and at the present time ia quoted at £13 per ton f.d.b. in the South Island. . There has been a good deal of talk re reciprocity between Australia and New Zealand, and if such cannot bo depended, upon in connection with so important a matter as flour, I would imagine that tile curtain should be rung on the first and only act." .The latter sentence has reference, to the reciprocal arrangement assumed to have been'/made- with • the Commonwealth Government when the Hon., F. M. B. Fisher (accompanied. by Mr.' W. H. Montgomery, of the Customs Department) visited Melbourne a couple of years ago. , Mr. Allen's assumption is that flour would be one of the first considerations in connection with any such agreement, and if it does,not apply to flour it might be dispensed with altogether. . . ~ ''