WHEAT AGREEMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 October 1925, Page 4

WHEAT AGREEMENT.

A CANDIDATE'S VIEWS

WELLINGTON, October Ri. All Independent Nationalist candidate In Wellington North. Mr ,L Al.'Grath. a well-known solicitor, made a heavy attack oil the Government, at his opening meeting. It "'its based on the agreement with the wheat pmi Ulcers. “The pci' e of the -fib. loaf in England’' -aid Mr M’Grath. “is now !><!.. whereas a Dili, loaf co.-ts 811 in New Zealand, or nearly 78 per cent, more.’' This, he as-erted. was because the Reform Govcrr.meii t had spread its pi leet itig wing over vested interests in the South Islam!. The Government said Air M'Gralh. under the camouflage of making New Zealand -self, contained a- regards production of flour had connived at prniiteeriug, milleis and wheat growers comhiuing to extort from thi' people. of New Zealand a higher price for bread and Hour than was warranted by the economic :oiohtiotts ruling to-day. The Government had controlled and regulated th: l importation of wheat and flour and had forced up the price to a very high level. If we were five Io ini | oft wheal to-day. tile price of our bread would be no higher, if as high, a- it is in lamdon. for England had to i"ok lor her wheat in the markets cf 1 lie world. tl was sheer hypocrisy for the Government to say that the hread tax had I,cell i mini- i'll in the interr-ts of the country. It was impo-ed in the interests of the tlouriiiiilcr- mainly of tile Youth Maud. Taking -Ilnur alone and leaving out of account the increased pro e due to the tariff taxes of bran, pollard, oatmeal and other products, tlm cost of protecting our lion nil iI Is worked out in the aggregate at JBfWI.OOO a year, or £101.087 in cxce— of the wage- paid in :d! the llotirm ills in New Zealand. That was the way the cost ol protecting the industry "'a-, so lar a- Hour alone vva- ! on: i'l'm'd. not very lar short ol c | for every £1 paid In wages in all our llounnills. The imndier oi Ihuirmills to-day vva- employing (NO hands, paying £ I On. Old in wage-. The total requirement - of the Dominion in the way of Ilnur v.eiv e-t inta ted at M.T.SA.'i ton- a year. and of that amount New Zealand mills produced m 1!M o I Kb,Sir, tons, and in the four - m-vcci 1i n g years lgii.7ll > . L'U.illfi. IHI .bo.'! and l:!!l.7l>2 imi- respectively. The £.'! per ton diuv on Hour on import"'! wheat meant. 111 the 1.-asis ot I !().()()'.) ton- a year, an ittcri't'si'd c"st t.i the people oi N"U Zealand "I no 10-- than PIiHO.OOO per annum, lor the pri'c would be iimree-cd. mu only by tie- anl < • 11" l ol duty In", by -Ml per cent, additional jnr wb"l, "■ al" r-' and retailin'-' pi'niit- on the inerea-eil co t put mi them by the duty. Of this I In* share of the llourmilh r- would he today round ali.ip. £ i : .(' 1 or -onicl lii ug Id," f: tl I P- for 1 ".a ry £ 1 they pa id In had be, 'll nearly mim'd by tlii, unwarranted iii terference wit i , tlm prniluctioii and disi ribut ion of wheat and Ilnur, but tiie 1 mil try fartimr'- vested i|| 1 ere -t did not t omit a aga ill t (hat oi the miller am! v imat grower. “Tali', ..tb lilt go slow," sail Alt' M'Gi o!i “Why in it'tm wlimi! grower- tiiodii'.cd tiiiric'ii million hii-hel-of w Imat. and t -day nursed and enddied a- tlmv ar" by Ihe Reform Go than oi- in million be-hels.”