THE PRICE OF WHEAT AND FLOUR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XI, Issue 686, 4 June 1859, Page 4

THE PRICE OF WHEAT AND FLOUR.

To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times. Sir,—>l am instructed by the Committee of the Farmers' Club to call your attention to an inaccuracy in your quotations of market prices in your issue of the2sth.inst. Such inaccuracies, although sometimes unavoidable, may cause disappointment to traders -and producers generally. s You state that good samples of wheat were then worth 75., and in consequence that flour had advanced to JE22 per ton. You certainly admit that this quotation was made by theinillers, which I can readily believe, as I have seen a private letter from a miller to a baker in Lyttelton stating that wheat had risen on that day Is. 6d. per bushel. Now, although I am not prepared to say that 7s. may not in a solitary instance have been obtained on that day, I am prepared to deny that the price was general, or that an advance of Is. 6d. was obtained at all. .-..■■ _ You further say that "the reason given for the rise is that it is necessary to keep the price for home consumption somewhat higher than that for export, now ruling at 6s. to 6s. 6d." It is also stated that j the poverty of the late crops is taken into consideration, and that one of the objects in rising the price of wheat is to^check exportation, from a fear that ultimately the supply may be found short, and prices become exhorbitant. ■■ - J , ■ If such were their real object it is to be regretted i that this did not occur to them before they-laid in their present stocks. I have before me a letter fromamerchant here, dated May 25th, stating that he has 3ust bought a large quantity of wheat at 6s. and that he found no difficulty in buying at that price. If there be such a discrepancy in the prices of wheat and flour in Canterbury as to allow for the expense of sending wheat to Wellington to be ground for us, and the supply so short as to compel the Lyttelton bakers to buy foreign flour, at the rate of 40 tons per month, it.is evident that it is high time active steps were taken by the public to destroy the millers' monopoly; this can only be done by increasing the mill power in this province. I remain, Sir, yours &c, R.BRUNSDEN, Hon. Sec. Christchurch, 30th May, 1859.