A FLOUR FAMINE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 109, 8 June 1909, Page 2

A FLOUR FAMINE.

STATE OF THE WHEAT MARKET. AN AUCKLAND PREDICTION. By Telegj-aph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. Enquiries made to-day elicited information as to the state of the wheat market, and, if the position is as bad as re-presented, then a Hour famine would >eem imminent. It wn« explained that the reason why flour is dearer in Auckland than in the South is becuusc practically no wheat is grown ill this province, and local millers' and 'bakers have to pay cost of transport to Auckland, which) with all incidental expenses, mean a considerable item.

' A gentleman prominently interested in tlie bakery trade mill that dear as Hour now was at C I'2 lU> per ton in Auckland it ought to lie selling tit l - t:) per ton, at least, in order to allow millers a fair margin of .profit. The market quotation for wheat in New Zealand was at present the'lowest in the world, hut it was very reliable to take as n guide, a» the' fanners knew their strength aiul would not sell at that figure, the consequence Hieing that the millers had to pay through the nose. At the present time there was a great shortage of wheat throughout the world, owing principally to the previous non-Jirvad countries, such at> Japan and China, now using bread as a chief article of diet and drawing upon the wheatproducing countries of the world. The consequence was thwt these countries were unable to supply the demand as well as the local- markets. It was costing New Zealand millers too inueh to manufacture flour at present, and one southerner had found lie could make more money by exporting wllieat than by making it into flour. At present New | Zealand has a surplus of 2,000,000 blMliels of wheat, which were being held tight. Two ships were now on their way to New Zealand, it was stated, mid two Australians were coming over lo buy nip every available bushel of wheat in New Zealand. By August next there would in all probability be not a bushel left in the Dominion, and ilour would at jump to £l4 per ton, witili, of course, a corresponding increase in the price of bread.

A STATEMENT DENIED. Cliristchurch, Last Night. Mr U. Wood, chairman of the New Zealand Flourmillers' Association, seen to-day re the message from Auckland that two Australians have left for New Zealand to buy up all surplus wheat and ! that two eargo boats are on their wav out to ship the grain, and by- August next there will not,he a particle of wheat left in the country, and Ilour nnd bread will stronglv advance in price m consequence, said t&t lie had heard of nothing of the' sort, anil he thought that if anything of the kind was contemplated those interested would not have allowed any information to loak out before they had seemed the grain. So far as hj? was aware there'had been no buying on any seale; in fact, for the past week or two business in wheat had been ol a hand-to-mouth character. He looked upon the information as being of the naturv of a canard, or as having been put in circulation by persons who aiv probably anticipating a dissolution of the Association and are desirous nfj keeping up the price of wheat. Regard-1 ing the Association's affairs Mr. Wood said there was no news that he could I give for publication.