RAISING THE PRICES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2274, 7 October 1914, Page 6

RAISING THE PRICES

A, CUSTOM'S MINISTER'S OPINION. Since the prohibition of tlie export of wheat and flour the only shipments which have left Australia have gorioto South Africa and New Zealand. Mr. Tudor (Minister for Customs) stated in Melbourne last week that the shipments to South Africa had been permitted because General Botha had made a special request, and there was a shortage of wheat in Africa. The contracts'of purchase and delivery in regard to the shipment to New Zealand were made prior to tho issue of the proclamation, hence the Government had decided that it was inadvisable to enforce the prohibition. Discussing the sudden inexplicable rise in tvhe price of cream of tartar, the Minister said his officers had mado an exhaustive statistical investigation. They found that 90' per cent, of tho total amount of cream of tartar used in Australia was imported from France, not Germany. Any statement that tho source of supply was intent'.ptctf was incorrect. Apparently tho market for this commodity was controlled by one or more firms, which were artificially raising the prices. ' ■; With regard to the proposals.of the Victorian Chamber of Manufactures and the Federal tariff,.Mr. Tudor said that in effect the manufacturers wero asking for three tariffs,_ one directed against Germany, Austria, and possibly other countries, the second against the Allies of Great Britain, and the third against Great Britain and British Dominions. This kind of tariff would bo a difficult ono to handle in. view of tho fact that some of our Allies at the present time are among those against whom tho most noise is made at other times. The Government would like to know from the chairman of the manufacturers whether Japan, which was fighting with us to-day, should be placed on tho samo footing as the United Kingdom'. With the present British preference, foreign makers partly finished, their goods in England in order to. benefit iri her dominions. Tho more tariffs were made the more was the abuse of tho preferential system likely."

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