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Wheat (1) - Part 1

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Revision as of 06:49:26, Jun 15, 2017
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Revision as of 07:00:00, May 11, 2018
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1062. Have you many of their invoices?— Yes.
 
1062. Have you many of their invoices?— Yes.
 
1063. Have you had any rebate at all?— We had a rebate of £2.5s. on one truck of ten bags. The invoices can be produced at any time. They are in the A.M.P. Chambers, where the registered office is.
 
1063. Have you had any rebate at all?— We had a rebate of £2.5s. on one truck of ten bags. The invoices can be produced at any time. They are in the A.M.P. Chambers, where the registered office is.
1064. When you got this rebate was the Scheme inspector sent out to sample the stuff?£ No.
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1064. When you got this rebate was the Scheme inspector sent out to sample the stuff? No.
1065. Did Dalgety's send anyone?£ No.
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1065. Did Dalgety's send anyone? No.
 
1066. They took your word for it?— They said they had no time or men for the purpose even if we paid the expenses. Mr. Keys, the manager of the Wheat Scheme, told me that when we next wanted a truck to go to him and he would send an inspector down to see it. That inspector was sent down, I understand, from Mr. Keys. The truck I refer to, which cost 4s. 1d., and some of which I sold as low as 5s. a bag, had been reported on by the inspector as being good value.
 
1066. They took your word for it?— They said they had no time or men for the purpose even if we paid the expenses. Mr. Keys, the manager of the Wheat Scheme, told me that when we next wanted a truck to go to him and he would send an inspector down to see it. That inspector was sent down, I understand, from Mr. Keys. The truck I refer to, which cost 4s. 1d., and some of which I sold as low as 5s. a bag, had been reported on by the inspector as being good value.
 
1067. You mentioned that during the sitting of this Commission wheat could be bought for poultry at much less value than was the case before it sat?— Yes.  
 
1067. You mentioned that during the sitting of this Commission wheat could be bought for poultry at much less value than was the case before it sat?— Yes.  
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1071. What is the average value you would place on it for poultry feed?— About 1s. a  bushel less right through I consider would be something reasonable.
 
1071. What is the average value you would place on it for poultry feed?— About 1s. a  bushel less right through I consider would be something reasonable.
 
1072. Do the poultry farmers of your district prefer first class wheat for poultry?— Yes. They think the highest value is in the better class of wheat. One of the poultry farmers the other day got wheat from us. I put it in at 4s. 6d. to try and balance the previous lot. We had a truck of wheat from the country all pinched up, and the price was supposed to be 4s. I asked this poultry farmer what difference he considered lay in the value, one lot of wheat being pinched but thoroughly clean, and he reckoned that the other stuff was worth 1s. a bushel more. I differ from him there.
 
1072. Do the poultry farmers of your district prefer first class wheat for poultry?— Yes. They think the highest value is in the better class of wheat. One of the poultry farmers the other day got wheat from us. I put it in at 4s. 6d. to try and balance the previous lot. We had a truck of wheat from the country all pinched up, and the price was supposed to be 4s. I asked this poultry farmer what difference he considered lay in the value, one lot of wheat being pinched but thoroughly clean, and he reckoned that the other stuff was worth 1s. a bushel more. I differ from him there.
1073. You said you had sold a certain lot at an extra price in order to balance up the order. You did not mix the wheat?— No. That which we bought from Wigmore we bought in Perth ay 3s. 9d. or 3s. 11d. in our store. We lost considerably on the previous truck. That was being sold at 4s. 6d. We kept the price firm at 4s. 6d. in order to try and balance our losses in the previous truck. We should not have been placed in that position. We should simply take it on a percentage basis if we had a decent quality of wheat on which we could rely.
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1073. You said you had sold a certain lot at an extra price in order to balance up the other. You did not mix the wheat?— No. That which we bought from Wigmore we bought in Perth ay 3s. 9d. or 3s. 11d. in our store. We lost considerably on the previous truck. That was being sold at 4s. 6d. We kept the price firm at 4s. 6d. in order to try and balance our losses in the previous truck. We should not have been placed in that position. We should simply take it on a percentage basis if we had a decent quality of wheat on which we could rely.
 
1074. the poultry farmers would not object to the lower quality of wheat provided they were met at a price they thought was equitable?—That is the position, although they prefer good wheat. We do not  consider it a fair thing to use good wheat while there is other stuff available.
 
1074. the poultry farmers would not object to the lower quality of wheat provided they were met at a price they thought was equitable?—That is the position, although they prefer good wheat. We do not  consider it a fair thing to use good wheat while there is other stuff available.
 
1075. By Hon. J. F. ALLEN: Are you a poultry farmer?— Yes.
 
1075. By Hon. J. F. ALLEN: Are you a poultry farmer?— Yes.

Revision as of 07:00:00, May 11, 2018

simply telephone to our secretary in Perth and he carries out our instructions,. We are not strong enough to pay a man permanently to put in the whole of his time, and our secretary cannot be expected to run about getting samples of wheat. We simply order a truck of wheat from Dalgety's and they put what price on it they think fit. 1057. By The CHAIRMAN: As retail merchants you have to buy from Dalgety's?— Yes. 1058. By Hon. R. G. ARDAGH: That is sold at auction?— At public auction providing it exceeds Dalgety's price. The Minister said it was open competition, but I say it is not open competition, but only a sale at Dalgety's price or better. 1059. Do they sell on sample?— No. If one goes to the office they will show one a sample, but guarantee nothing. 1060. By Hon. J. F. ALLEN: A reserve price is put on a truck?— Yes. 1061. By Mr. HARRISON: How long have you been taking wheat from Dalgety's?— I should say for about six months, ever since they have had the monopoly. 1062. Have you many of their invoices?— Yes. 1063. Have you had any rebate at all?— We had a rebate of £2.5s. on one truck of ten bags. The invoices can be produced at any time. They are in the A.M.P. Chambers, where the registered office is. 1064. When you got this rebate was the Scheme inspector sent out to sample the stuff? No. 1065. Did Dalgety's send anyone? No. 1066. They took your word for it?— They said they had no time or men for the purpose even if we paid the expenses. Mr. Keys, the manager of the Wheat Scheme, told me that when we next wanted a truck to go to him and he would send an inspector down to see it. That inspector was sent down, I understand, from Mr. Keys. The truck I refer to, which cost 4s. 1d., and some of which I sold as low as 5s. a bag, had been reported on by the inspector as being good value. 1067. You mentioned that during the sitting of this Commission wheat could be bought for poultry at much less value than was the case before it sat?— Yes. 1068. You also said that merchants who were able to buy now would make a good thing out of the present purchases?— If prices reverted back to what they were. 1069. You said you bought wheat at 4s. a bushel?— Yes. 1070. What was its value for poultry feed?—About 3s., but some of it under that. 1071. What is the average value you would place on it for poultry feed?— About 1s. a bushel less right through I consider would be something reasonable. 1072. Do the poultry farmers of your district prefer first class wheat for poultry?— Yes. They think the highest value is in the better class of wheat. One of the poultry farmers the other day got wheat from us. I put it in at 4s. 6d. to try and balance the previous lot. We had a truck of wheat from the country all pinched up, and the price was supposed to be 4s. I asked this poultry farmer what difference he considered lay in the value, one lot of wheat being pinched but thoroughly clean, and he reckoned that the other stuff was worth 1s. a bushel more. I differ from him there. 1073. You said you had sold a certain lot at an extra price in order to balance up the other. You did not mix the wheat?— No. That which we bought from Wigmore we bought in Perth ay 3s. 9d. or 3s. 11d. in our store. We lost considerably on the previous truck. That was being sold at 4s. 6d. We kept the price firm at 4s. 6d. in order to try and balance our losses in the previous truck. We should not have been placed in that position. We should simply take it on a percentage basis if we had a decent quality of wheat on which we could rely. 1074. the poultry farmers would not object to the lower quality of wheat provided they were met at a price they thought was equitable?—That is the position, although they prefer good wheat. We do not consider it a fair thing to use good wheat while there is other stuff available. 1075. By Hon. J. F. ALLEN: Are you a poultry farmer?— Yes. 1076. Were the purchases you speak of made on your own behalf or for the Armadale Poultry Farmers' Association?— On behalf of the Poultry Farmers' Association in one sense and the co-operative society in the other. 1077. I refer to the wheat that you purchased?— That was for the co-operative society. 1078. What is your relationship with that society?— I am the president and the manager (The witness retired.) — — — — — MORGAN STANLEY WAKE, Organiser of the Poultry Industry, sworn and examined: 1079. By The CHAIRMAN: We should be pleased to have a statement from you?— As a poultry farmer and organiser of the poultry industry, I think I may claim to be in a position to know something of the way that the poultry farmers have been treated by the State Wheat Marketing Scheme in the matter of their supplies. The State Scheme has looked upon poultry farmers as fair game, and as a sort of dumping ground for the damaged wheat, knowing full well that the poultry farmers must have feedstuffs of some description, and that if they do not pay the price for it to-day they will be compelled to pay that price for it to-morrow. I claim that a lot of the wheat we as poultry farmers have been compelled to take should never have been sent to the market but should rather have been used for fertiliser or other manure, or for some sort of filling at the ocean. In some instances the poultry farmers have been compelled to buy that class of stuff. It has been brought into the Perth yards and a reserve placed upon it and no more wheat is allowed to go into the yards until that particular wheat has been sold. I have followed up the auction marts in Perth, and taken particular notice of the prices that have been operating. I have never ascertained the reserve that has been placed upon it, but I know that in many instances the price that has been offered has been considerably in excess of the value of the wheat. Notwithstanding this, distributing agents seem to think it is worth considerably more. I understand that Dalgety's claim that the price of the wheat has been governed by the demand. If I was controlling the wheat I could create a demand for it. There is a demand for a certain amount of wheat. If we do not take the wheat to-day at their price they will keep us short for a considerable time. In that way they create a demand until we are prepared to buy at almost any price that is asked. From what I can see of the Wheat Marketing Scheme it would be better if it were taken out of the hands of the Government altogether. If the State is giving us of its best as a marketing agent then from a poultry farmer's standpoint I think we have had enough of State control. The poultry farmer has been compelled to pay anything from 2s. 6d. and a 3s. per bushel at the outside. Very little of the wheat which is offered to poultry farmers to-day is worth more than 3s. per bushel, but they are compelled to pay up to 4s. 3d. for it., which is a cruel injustice to many men and women who in advancing years make the industry a means of livelihood. Poultry and pig farmers, I think, provide the only outlet the State has for that class of wheat, and therefore its price should be governed accordingly. it strikes me forcibly that the State's Scheme is going a long way to destroy the goose that lays the golden egg. many of the poultry farmers have been driven out of business through these excessive rates that they have been compelled to pay for their wheat and through having a little or no feeding value left in it, and if this continues there will be very few poultry farmers left in the metropolitan area in the course of a short period. I contend that by doing that the Wheat Marketing Scheme is strangling an industry which is worth about a quarter of a million pounds per annum to the State. It would be a great injustice to the State and to all concerned if this somewhat important industry were destroyed. I have pointed out that wheat marketed in the metropolitan area is unduly inflated in price, and I wish to confirm Mr. Lockhard's remark that since this Commission has been sitting the price of wheat, for some unknown reason, has somewhat lowered. Mr. Lockhard pointed out that the poultry farmers pre-