WHEAT AND FLOUR.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 114, 16 January 1915, Page 6

WHEAT AND FLOUR.

‘HOLD-UP OF THE KATAPOI, STATEMENT BY ME MASSEY. (By Telegraph. —Press Association.) • - , WELLINGTON, Jan. 15. With reference to the holding up of .the Ivniapoi, Mr Massey states ithst. he communicated with the Hon Mr Fisher Federal Premier, who had replied indicating that he was taking action. Beyond that he had received no advees. The trouble has occurred over the action of the New South Wales Government ir seizing all wheat within the boundaries of its own State. The Government then controlled the sale, distribution and ex port. Having a surplus, it sold 1 bushels to the New Zeeland Government. One condition was that the New Zealand Government should undertake to sell to the New r South Woles Government a like quantity of wheat after our harvest is saved, and Mr Massey states that that condition practically stands. The Commonwealth Government never admitted the right of the New South Wales Government to commandeer and deal with wheat in that State, and it appears is desirous of prevontiner - wheat from being exported. Against this set-back, advices received by Mr Massey show that merchants.-in Now Zealand are importing considerable v, quantities of flour, having been enebur---aged to do so by the remission , of duty - .-and also as the result of the negotiabetween the New Zealand and the ■, r - Commonwealth Governments, which - -allows ‘ ‘ contract ’ ’ flour to be imported -v. into New Zealand from Australia. Mr - -.Massey added-that many hundreds of .... tons had already reached New Zealand - under that arrangement. He bad received advices that by the. Ejverina ’to Auckland, one consignee received 220 s»?.ck*< of flour, and another 374 sacKs am* that oa the Warrimoo there are fifteen tons of flour for one Wellington merchant, and 35 tons for a Dunedin merchant, Similar consignments to various Arms are due practically every week. In addition there are 300,000 bushels of wheat now on the road to New Zealand from St. John’s (Canada) by the s.s. Heaperos, so that the delay in the Kaiapoi’s shipment will at the worst be only ft temporary inconvenience.