WHEAT & FLOUR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2279, 13 October 1914, Page 6

WHEAT & FLOUR

MORE ABOUT THE DEADLOCK. ;• Mr. G. W. Russell asked in the House of Representatives last evening what was tlie position in regard to fixing the prices of wheat and; flour. Ho said the, position was becoming very acute 'in the South Island. He read, a letter from a constituent of Mr. Buddo's (Mr. Buddo being absent through illness) stating that he dealt with a certain firm that had written stating that .it was unable to supply him with flour as their mills had been shut down for overhaul, and they had no flour in stock. The constituent referred to did not, accept this as a clear statement of the case. He (Mr. Russell) had also read: a letter from a milling company, 'operating in Ashburton. : The writer of. this letter said this matter was going to seriously affect a lot of tradesmon in tho Avon electorate. A largo number of bakers' and storekeepers relied upon getting flour from mills that were outside .tho association. His own mill did as big a trade in the Avon electorate as •any other. For tho past few weeks the finest wheat had been pouring into their mills bought at ss. 3d. to make flour at £11 155., which would mean a loss to the miller of £500 a month, and surely the Government could not 1 expect them to stand such a loss. The Government should have fixed the price two months ago. The position, was that only two mills wero_ selling at £11 155., because' they,only were 'rich enough to invest in stocks for : , twelve months ahead. Some mills have had to pay ss. 3d. for their wheat, and the wealthy farmers were asking more, oven as much as 55..-9 d. per bushel. The -millers could not pay ss. 3d. for wheat and make flour at £11 15s. a ton. In a little while the bakers would not be ablo to bake because the big mills would supply only regular customers. Mr. Russell, byway of comment,.added that if these letters represented the position, a large number of the public would not be ( able to obtain.bread at all. ~ "';•'.•"-;■

The Prime Minister said it was quite evident that serious -difficulty had arisen '. in connection '.with .the prices of foodstuffs. Exactly the same thing had occurred in Australia. What was attempted there had practically broken down. . In New South Wales they had fixed.the price of wheat at 4s. 2d., in Victoria at 4s. 9d., and in another State at 4s. ■• lOd. This had caused very serious inconvenience and loss to many people. But the case was different in New Zealand, 1 because in Australia they had more wheat than was needed, -whereas here it was doubtful if we had enough. The Commission had done its best to get a census, but was practically unable to,get an-accur-ate statement of the quantities available. The Commission was sitting,in Christchurch, but would be in Welling-, tonvin a day or two, and he would then ascertain if any change had taken place in s regard to their recommendations. He did not wish to take a pessimistic view of it, but he was bound to say that there was a difficulty in regard to the supply of wheat and flour.