DOMINION'S WHEAT PURCHASE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 304, 12 September 1918, Page 8

DOMINION'S WHEAT PURCHASE

'AUSTRALIAN MILLERS WANT TO GRIST A PORTION. I In connection with the recent purchase of a large quantity of Australian I wheat by tho New Zealand Government the question bus been raised ill Australia as to whether at least a portion of the purchased grain should' not be delivered to New Zealand as flour. That is to sa.y that a proposal has been made that 50 per cent, of the wheat, | should be gristed by Australian millers in order to keep the mills going full time. The following letter to a local firm of merchants from a big New I South "Wales milling firm throws a little light on the question, which must bu of interest not only to New Zealand millers and baker's, but to the public generally, because of the use of Australian flour as a blending medium: "We have not. yet had any reply from the Australian Wheat, Board, ro flour in New Zealand, and wq conclude that our letter has been too late. We might say, however, that when you first wrote us of the possibility of .the Now Zealand Government buying wheat some months ago, we at once wrote to the Wheat Board asking them to protect tho Australian millers, but their reply was {inything but satisfactory. 'The argument they use is that the Australian millers can get as many orders for flour from the Imperial Government as they want, and therefore why should we worry about New Zealand? Our reply to that is that the freight question is becoming so difficult that it is a bad policy to rely on Imperial Government orders, when we could get rid of large quantities of flour to markets like New Zealand, where tho freight question is not nearly so acute. Sooner or. later the board will find out its mistake, but like most of theso Government concerns, t-he.v cau see little further than their little fingers." In connection with the embargo placed on the importation of Australian flour into New Zealand, it is interesting to rote that whilst, tho bakers are prevented from, improving the quality of their bread by the desired admixture of Australian with New Zealand flour, the Government has landed a fairly large quantity for use in the camps and on transports. Tho last consignment lauded a few days ago consisted of 1300 odd sacks of Australian flour. MINING NEWS WELLINGTON SHAKE MAEKET. The quotations yesterday for mining shares were -as under:— Buyers. Sel!er«. £ s. d. £ s. d. Waihi 2 0 9 2 1 0 Grand Junction 013 4 013 6 Westland Gold 112 0 — STOCK EXCHANGE. By Telegrs,ph—Press Aesociation. Auckland, September 11. Sales—Bank of New Zealand, £13 3s. fid.; Grand Junction, 13s. 5d.; Auckland Gas (pAid), 275. 6d.; "Auckland Gas (con.), 19b. Ghristohuroh, September 11. Sale reported.—National Bank, £6 ss. Dunedln, September 11. Sale.—Huddart l'arker, 445. 9d. Sales re-ported.—Hnddart-Parkcr, 445. 9d.; Waihi Grand Junction, 13s. sd. ' LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE. Australian-New Zealand Cablo Association. (Kec. September 11, 7.30 p.m.) London September 10. Bank of Australasia, £129 155.; Bank of New South Wales, £37 10b.; National Bans of New Zealand, £6; Bank of New Zealand, £12 2s. 6d.; New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., £98 10s.