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ProposalaMs-.o id Grapegrowers
CUSTOMS MINISTER
SEES PREMIER
ederal Control or Board
for Price Fixing
MR. BUTLER'S VIEW
--Two suggestions to overcome the price-fixing problem,
- the chief concern of grapegrowers at present, were made
in Adelaide today following the arrival of the Minister of
Customs (Mr. White) to investigate difficulties of the wine
industry.
The Minister said that he believed the present difficulty
could be overcome by the States handing over to the Com
monwealth the power to regulate prices for grapes used in
wines made for consumption in Australia. .
The Premier (Mr. Butler) declared that if price fixing
were to be continued an Australian board, representative
of grapegrowers and winemakers with an independent
chairman, should be constituted to deal with the question.
Seeks Plani for All Sections
Recently it was discovered that "e
Commonwealth's fixel prices could ope
rate only for irraoes used to produce wine
for export. Now. by obtaining first
hand knowledge of the wine industry dur
mnr his stay in South Australia, the
greatest wine ,roducing State. Mr. 7White:
hopes to be able to devise some practicaIl
plan for assisting all sections of the indus
try.
SThe Minister will be in South Australia
for a week. -He has a full programme.,
which includes visits to wineries and vine
yards in the chief wine-producing areas.
Soon after his arrival he had a loni
interview with the Premier (Mr. Butler).
Later he inspected Holden's motor body
works, and this afternoon, at the CustomsI
House, he received a deputation from the
Grapegrowers' Association.
Mr. TWhite said that he believed.thatt
ithis was tae first time a Minister of Cus-f
tonms had come to South Australia to in-f
vestigate iroblems connected with the
wine industry.
I "Undoubtedly the wine industry is ex
periencin, severe trials." said Mr. White.
"For that reason my visit to this State
is of tremendous importance. "
'-In- the~~shott w-hieI hanive bee~-?Mrniai
ter,-I have given' a .good deal of time to]
the. industry's problems, in spite of the
demands of the strenuous tariff debates in
the House .of Representatives. There is
such a clash of interests that it is diffi
cult to find a way out that will be satis
factory to both growers and makers.
"From iong-range observations I have
reaiised that. But now I wish to make
closer personal contact in the hope of gain
ing information that may be of practical
I use in helping to solve. or at any rate
lessen, present problems."
Timely - Relief Given.
Mr. White added that already he had
been able to yive'timely relief totihe Wine
industry by having the Excise .on foitify
ing spirit-formerly 11/ and 10/ a gallon,
according to type--brought down to a flat
'rate of 9/. This reduction would' result
in a revenue loss to the Commonwealtl of
about £30,000.
M3Ir. White will be the guest of the 'Citi
zens' League tonight at a dinner at the
Oriental Hotel. Tomorrow he willreceive
calls from the president of the Ohamber of
Manufactures and the president of the
Chamber of. Commerce at the Customs!
House, and will . be given a luncheon by
the Commonwealth Club. In the after
noon he will inspect wineries and vine
yards at McLaren Vale,. Morphett Vale,
and Reynella.
On Wednesday he will be the Legacy
Club's guest at luncheon, and after re
ceiving a deputation from the South Aus-'
tralian Vinegrowers' -Association, will in
spect wineries near Adelaide.
He will leave on Thursday morning on
an extensive tour embracing wine pro-i
ducing areas in the Barossa and River
Murray districts. He will not return to
Adelaide, but will go on by motor car to
Berrin where he will be given 'a dinner
by the iocal sub-branch of the R.S.L. on
Fri'dav evening, later addressing a pub
lic meeting. e
I;· rr aturd~ay-m~ornih;f he .ffZE 14ce Berrt ·
fo Renmark and Mildur"'.iHe 'till' 'ayt
at Mildura until Monday, when he will
return to Melbourne by train.
Legislation Needed
Following the interview with Mr. White
the Premier, elaborating on his' sugges
tion for an Australian board, said that
the board would deal only with the fixa
tion of prices. It would take into con
sidleration the economic position, market
prospects, and so on, and, in his opinion,
would be more. competent than Govern
ment officials to' fix reasonable' prices for
graPes 'to be used in the manufacture of
wine both for Australian and overseas
consumption.
[ The' setting'up of the boa'rd 'would re
!Quire Commonwealth and State legislation.
It would.be necessary to provide penalties
against winemakers who ignored the fixed
prices.
"In putting' fow'ard this proposal I am
Imerel- expressing my personal opinion,"
he said. "The whole question is riddledi
with difficulties. I am extremely pleased
that Mr. White has come to South Aus-l
tralia to rain firsthand knowledge of the
problems. The wine industry is so vital
to South Australia that somethinz will
have to he done to put it on a more
stable basis.
"What is to be done in a practical way
to help the industry. largely depends upon
the attitude of the grapegrowers and the
winemakers. The divergence' of views
now apparent .in both sections is one of
the obstacles to a satisfactory solution' of
the industry's difficulties."
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