FLOUR IMPORTATIONS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2162, 19 August 1907, Page 4

FLOUR IMPORTATIONS.

SOME WELLINGTON VIEWS. “Flour is now being imported into New Zealand from Australia,” is the text of a Press Asociation telegram sent from Dunedin. Presumably the occurrence is an exceptional one iu tho far South, hut enquiries made in Wellington by a Post reporter elicited the information that Australian flour has been imported to Wellington for years past. During the current year there has been an increasing quantity brought over, the principal importers being Messrs Laery and Co, who say that until very lately the Sydney market has been sufficiently low to allow of flour being imported from there, and sold in Welington at a profit after discharging all freights, cartage and duty. Speaking of the situation as regarded Dunedin, a representative of Messrs Laery and Co. said that in cities like Dunedin and Christchurch, where there are flourmills established, outside competitors might have been prevented by the fact that there was a selling price of ten shillings per ton less than the price at Wellington, which was that much higher, because of cartage and wharfage, but it was truth none the less that Australian flour had been sent to Christchurch by Australian millers, and sold at a profit. There was not any great profit in importation to Wellington of' flour at present Sydney rates, but then it should be remembered that the New Zealand sellers’ prices at present were .£1 per ton less than they were when tho larger importations from Australia began, though the price of wheat was very little less now than then. It was the Australian competition that had effected this reduction in prices, and if the millers had been content with present prices, the larger importations would never have beeu begun,

Another aspect of tho matter was put to the Post reporter by a representative of tho Now Zealand millers.* Ho said that a boast was recently made in Wellington liy an Australian that the Australian millers were going to shut up every mill in Now Zealand. It was certainly the fact that Now Zealand millers were in a worse position than many people made them out to bo, and vot we lmd “claptrap politicians” crying for abolition of tlio duty on flour, and overlooking tho fact that Australia’s own duty on imported flour doubled omrs. 0110 local man had contended that booauso ho considered Australian flour was of hotter quality than ours, it should be admitted duty free. Formerly thoro had boon cheap labor in Australia to enable them to turn out their products cheaper than ours, hut now that wages wore being levelled up over there, the prices would have to show an upward tendency also.