PRICES OF FOODSTUFFS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 126, 21 October 1914, Page 8

PRICES OF FOODSTUFFS.

"GIVE IT UP," SAY THE OOMitrS--BIO.NKRS. MR WITTY CROSSES TIIK PREMIER. Wellington, Last Night. A Gazette Extraordinary issued today contains an Order-in-Couneil, fixing tho maximum price of wheat at 5» 3d per bushel, and of flour at £l3 per ton. In the House of Representatives tonight, tho Premier made a statement aa to the prices oi wheat and flour in the Dominion, lie the chairman of the Commission had n ported that there wouid be a shortage of wheat in the Dominion. It wad diliieult to say just what tho shortage would be where wheat was in bo many hands. In view of the fact he had communicated with Australia, and asked if we could bo Bupplied with 'at least a quarter of a million bushels, even if only by way of a loan tlli season. He had not yet received a reply. Ho had also communicated with Canada and America, but had only received a quotation for flour. If we had to import foodstuffs it would be better to import wheat, so that we could keep the mills going, and so prevent unem ploymcnt. lie was asking applications from those mi.lers who were Bhort of supplies, and so far had received 21, I>ut the quantity asked for was six times in excess of the quantity available from Australia. This wheat would be given out to those small millers most Urgently in need of it. He had learned that no North Is'and farmers wero holding wheat, and only about a hundred in the South Island. This would probably be I available between now and Christmas.

Speaking on the market price of wheat, lie said that flour wheat was being sold in \Y ellington to-day at !is per bushel, and maize at 5s 9d. lie then proceeded to say that the chairman of the Commission had reported to him since the meeting in Wellington a week ago that in fixing the price of flour at £ll 15s per ton tliey had not fully considered the position of the seller, and were now of opinion that the Order-in-Couneil fixing that as the price should bo revoked. The Commission was not able to agree as to what the price should be„aml were therefore not able to make any recommendation. The Government had therefore decided to go back to the original decision of the Commission, and fix tho price of wheat at 5s 3d a bushe; and flour at £l3 per ton. Mr Witty asked why the. Government had failed to grapple with the shortage of wheat.

In reply, Mr Masse.y said the Government l>ad successfully grappled with the wheat supply. He repeated that there would bo a shortage of 12,000 tons of flour, or the equivalent in wheat, between now and February. He aecused Mr Witty of raising the question for party purposes. He honestly believed that Mr Witty did'not care if the people of the Dominion were starving, so Ion" as he could serve party interest. No Government in the British Dominions had had so many difficulties to meet as his Government, but it lmd met them all successfully. If private people would import the 12,000 tons required, the Government would remit the duty. If private persons would not import, the Government was prepared to do go.