THE WHEAT STOCKS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3182, 5 September 1917, Page 7

THE WHEAT STOCKS

SUGGESTION FOR DISTRIBUTION. Owing to tho shortage- of wheat in. Now Zealand somof flourmills have bad to close down. Tho shortago is tine to the impossibility of bringing wheat from Australia while tho strike there continues. In the Houso of Representatives yesterday Mr. Witty askecf tho Prime "Minister whether he would take 6tep.i to seo that the wheat held by other millers was distributed among those millers now without stocks. The wheat could be Tepaid when wheat was obtain* able from Australia.

Mr. Masscy 6aid that the distribution of wheat was under the control of tho Hon. Air. Mao Donald, who was unfortun. ately not in Wellington. In Now Zealand'tho Government could not do anything in tho . way of requisitioning wheat unless the millers were charging moro for flour than had been arranged, but ho thought those millers holding large stocks would be sportsnienliko enough to distribute some of their surplus in the way suggested. Mr. Hornsby: Not they. Tkero \b oiio in Auckland who won't give any. Mr. Massey said that ho would ask tho Board of Trade to look into tho matter. STATEMENT BY HON. W. D. S. MACDONALD. By TcleEranh—Press Association. . .Gisbornc, September I'. Mr. Witty's question as to. whether tho Government would distribute tho wheat stocks held by millers so as to keep all mills going was referred to tho Hon. W. D..S, Mac Donald to-night. He 'said that when the-Government fixed tho price for wheat many large millers purchased a full supply to last till about November next. Somo of the smaller millers who hold back, now had insufficient etScks to carry on. To distributo the wheat among the mills would'mean enhancing the value, which would 'reflect itself in bread and cause an increaso in price. Ho was, therefore, reluctant to instruct tho'Board of Trade to take wheat from mills with large' stocks and hand it over to millers who missed the opportunity to provide sufficient stocks for their own requirements. However, Hie Board of Trado would mako full inquiries, and if necessary would adjust matters. Mr. Mac Donald added that considerable flour had arrived from Tasmania, and also a small quantity from Sydney, and thoro need be no alarm as far. as consumers were concerned. 11S there was ample wheat and flour in tho Dominion to supply all requirements for throe or fours months, and long before that he hoped to get tho wheat purchased tin Australia, which would bo fairly and equally distributed through-; out the various districts of tho Dominion. Mr. Mac Donald stated that he was in communication with Australia as late, as Saturday last, and there was littlo probability of any wheat shipments for some time. ■