NO EMBARGO.

North Otago Times, Volume CVII, Issue 17170, 30 March 1927, Page 4

NO EMBARGO.

Prasi AKbtu«iYo]i. ,

REPLY TO WHEAT GROWEES. CABINET WILL CONSIDER THE 5VHEAT QUESTION., s

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. " TIMARU. March 29. A very largely-attended meeting of wheat growers' representatives of South Canterbury and North Otago waited on the Prime Minister here to-day in reference to the wheat question. The meeting was held in the Theatre Royal. With Mr Coates 011 the platform were Messvs Piolleston (Attorney-General), Williams (Public^ Works), Hawken (Minister of Agriculture), Lec, M.P. (Oamaru), Burnett, M.P. (Temuka « Bitchener, M.P. (Waitaki), and others. Mr Latter presided. Various speakers dealt with dixferent aspects of the wheat question. The point was stressed that it .was impossible to grow wheat at the present price — round about 5s — and it was asked that the Government place an eihbargo on Australian flour, in which case New Zealand growers would be able to get 6s for their wheat. A scheme was put forward by which — if Australian imports ,of flour were prohibilcd — millers would undertake to charge not more than £17 per ton for flour, give the farmers 6s for their wheat, and guarantee no increase in the present price of bread. Mr Coates -gave a lengthy repiji. Iie said the Government recognised that wheat growing was an essential industry and that as far as possible the Dominion should be selfcontained. Tn dealing with tariffs> many tb had to be considered. New Zea'-- ' had a tariff agreement with Auslralia, and six months notice was necessary before any increase in the present duty 011 flour could he made. He promised that Cabinet would give the whole matter very careful consideration, and that Parliament would be asked to impose an increased duty on imported flour. He could not promise an embargo. Mr Coates suggested growers should consider a wheat pool similar to that operating in Qanada.