AUSTRALIAN WHEAT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2358, 14 January 1915, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN WHEAT

HITCH HAS OCCURRED.

S.S. KAIAPOI HELD UP BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. A hitch has occurred in the dispatch from Sydney of a shipment of 100,000 bushels of wheat bought by the NewZealand Government from the Now South Wales Government, and loaded on the s.s. Kaiapoi. It was thought that the Kaiapoi had already sailed, but it appears the sailing date was yesterday. The Prime Minister received from the New South Wales Government the following telgram:—• "Acting Prime Minister instructed local Collector refuse give clearance Kaiapoi pending tast case being heard' in Melbourne'to-morrow." Mr. Massey has telegraphed to the Actong Prime. Minister of the Commonwealth and also to the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. Andrew Fisher), now in New Zealand, asking them to expedite matters, and to 'allow the ship to Bail, as the wheat has been allocated to millers, who intend to make use of .it, and as it has been paid for by the New Zealand Government.. The explanation of the hitch, .which may prove, a rather serious business for New Zealand, has to do with the action of the New South Wales Government in seizing all the wheat within the boundaries of their own State Having seized it, they controlled the sale, distribution, and even export of it. and having a surplus they sold IOOjOOu bushels t<< the New. Zealand Government. At firtc there, was a condition attached to the sale—that the New Zealand Govern-ment-should undertake to sell to the New South Wales Government a like quantity of wheat after our harvest is saved—but no mention has been made of this condition in later negotiations. The Commonwealth Government has never admitted the right of the New South Wales Government to commandeer and deal with' the wheat in New South Wales, and apparently the desire of Mr. Fisher's Government is to prevent wheat from being exported. There Is a- surplus of production over requirements of wheat in New South Wales, hut there is.not a surplus in other States, hence the willingness of the New South: Wales Government to export wheat and the desire of the Federal Government to prevent them. A.board consisting of Messrs. W. H. Triggs (Assistant Public Service Commissioner), W. R. Morris (Secretary to the Post and Telegraph Department), and J. Hislop (Under-Secretary for'lnternal Affairs), has been appointed (the Prime Minister informed a Teporter yesterday) to distribute among the millers, in proportion to their capacity and requirements, the 6000 hags of wheat which were brought to New Zealand from Vancouver by tho Waitemata. MOVE FOR INJUNCTION. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TAKES ACTION. By Mefrraph—Pt«*s Association— OonyrteM Melbourne, January 13. Senator Hughes states that the New South Wales exports of wheat to New Zealand will considerably complicate the hearing of the Commonwealth's application for an injunction against New South Wales; Until the case is settled the Kaiapoi cannot be granted her clearance papers. (Rec. January 13,10 p.m.) Melbourne, January 13. Before theater-State Commission-ap-plication was' iruide on behalf of the -Commonwealth Government for an injunction to restrain the New South Wales Government from selling or holdino, wheat, and also for the New South Wales Farmers' and Settlers' Association to bo joined as plaintiffs in the proceedings. ' „ Counsel for the New South Wales Government announced that he had been instructed that the Government would refrain from selling wheat which■was the subject of the plaint, pending the hearing of arguments. The Commission granted the Farmers' Association power to intervene, and fixed the hearing of the plaint for January 18.