UNPAID LEVIES

Hokitika Guardian, 18 April 1932, Page 8

UNPAID LEVIES

COST OF RESEARCH

INSTITUTE’S VALUABLE WORK

TIMARU, April 13. Nine bakers, from Timaru, Waimnte, Pleasant Point- and Temuka, were charged in the Magistrate’s Court today with failing to pay levies imposed by the Wheat Research Regulations, made under the Finance Act, 1927. Two charges were withdrawn, five were dismissed on the payment of costs, and 1 two were adjourned. Defendants wore: Douglas Newell, John J. Jones, J. Gilmore, P. J. Bowman, Ernest Shepherd, G. Pierce, D. Welch, G. Chapman, S. Shepherd. Counsel for the Crown said that he had received a letter from the secretary of the- Scientific and Industrial Research Department, stating that the Wheat Research Institute was established by the department originally as the results of requests made by representatives of the baking industry, who stressed that their industry was one in which a number of problems were constantly arising and that practical bakers required scientific assistance. To most members of this State the cast involved by calling upon scientific assistance was such as to be prohibitive, and consequently there was a; doe Vi on to combine, and an agreement made to raise part of the fund' for the cost of the work oy levies on the industry. In the negotiations which followed,

the bakers were joined by the wheatgrowers and the flour-millers representatives. At a. special moetiug held in Christchurch, in 1927, all parties agreed to levy themtselves for the purpose of establishing a Wheat Research Institute. It was also ‘decided to approach the Government for the statutory authority necessary to do this. WORK OF INSTITUTE.

The Wheat Research Institute, ms now constituted, was available to deal with the scientific problems of any aspect of the wheat industry, continued counsel. The facilities which the comparatively small levy of 1-Jd per ton of flour made available wore remarkably good, and the institute dealt regularly with a very large number, of inquiries from bnkens in all parts of New Zealand.

The establishment of the institute provided the baking industry of New Zealand with a scientific service which was prepared to investigate, and attempted the solution of, any problem wh'ijeh might, confront the [industry. On the staff of the institute there wais a highly-competent baker, who worked in association with the chemist, and a great part of their work was concerned with baking tests of New Zealand flour, investigations into baking procedure and' processes, and also on more general problems which primarily affected the grower and the miller, and ultimately, the baker, in that these investigations were designed largely to produce standardised flour, with the minimum of variations, which normally caused difficulties to the baking trade. Naturally, there were a number of bakers?- who were in arrears with their levy, be added. The posecutions were hoped to serve as a means of giving publicity to the obligations of the bakers to pay their levie... as demanded and it was therefore desired that, if the opportunity arose, sto pis should bo taken to secure publicity rather than pressing for a heavy fine. Regarding the non-payment of the 1930 levy, counsel said that he thought that some of the smaller bakers had been mis-led by one of their leaders. The charge was withdrawn against Newell and Jones and those against Pierce, Welsh, Bowman and Chapman were dismissed on payment of costs, £1 Os 6d. The charge against Gilmore was dimibsed on condition that he paid £1 Os (xl costs. The charges against Ernest and .Samuel Shepherd were adjourned.