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, I
Uh? WHEAT FOR GERMANS.
Housewives' Vigorous Protest
A SYMPATHETIC MINISTER.
IS HE PREPARED TO TAKE
ACTION 1
That meat seldom figures in the nrann of
a large section of the. community ; that bin- '
ter is a luxury, and . that thousands of chil
dren go hungry to school because tof the
high Prices , ruling , for. these commnrfitir.
were statements made by mpreamtatives of
the Housewives' Association who waited
as a. deputation on Mr. Omen, Minister of
Agriculture, yesterday. . The depotation,
led .by Mra. Gicncross, president of the asso
ciation, was arranged to give houswives
many of thern mothers of sous who parti
cipated jn the recent war, an opportonilv
oi expressing resentment that Australian-
grown wheat should be sold' to subjects of
enemy coun tries and Aro.8 at a lower '
price than to , Australians. It was as
serted that uuless the men in authority
raw to it that such a condition of affai-s
was ended the women folk would combine
to bring a-bout a change. v
Mrs. Gicncross urged that the bargain
made by the Wheat Board snould be re-
cousidtred. If the wheat grower lmcs'ed
that he should continue to receive 9/ per
bushel for wheat sold ui tiie home market,
the Slate Government should subsidise him
to the extent of the difference between
that price and the price at which it was
sold far shipment to other parte of the
world. ..
Several other speakers declared that the
housewives of Victorian were seething with
indignation at the taought of Germany
being able to purchase Australian whca'l
below the rate charged to Australians, and
the coiitttilioii -was put forward tliat the
worry juvolvcd in making ends meet wa-i
having such a serious effect on womenfolk
that the virility of the race would be
undermined. .
In replying, the Minister said he migat
easily . have put the deputation off Witi'
the statement that the matter- under dis
cussion was one for the Wheat Board, but
ne did not want to- create more dithcullr
than had already been created. The du-
liciiltics existing were not of his making-
Practically four members of toe V heat
Board H ere wheat growers.'
Mi-s. Gicncross-. While consumers had
no representation.
Mr. Oman raid some people, knowing bw
record, might lie inclined -to think he fa
vored the 9/. rate, but as a member of
tlie board he not only did not stand for
it, but lie had made it abundantly clear
that lie was opposed to iixtng a price
that migut be (ngher than -the world s
panij. The State Treasurer lmd stated
lb.it he would not agree- to the proposal
oi one inciiib-r or the deputation to sub
sidise one section of the community out
of revenue, and the solution of the prob
lem was m ton hands ot tlie Wheat' Board.
Whtn wns proposed to fix- 9/ a bushel
for tw olvc months, he moved as an -amend
ment that the term l>e lixed for six
months, wr.Ii a review nt the end ot that
period. That was-- defeated-.' He tooic
the view that the producers, having stood
for- parity, should ,:not,.:gct, nvpra than:
puntj. (Hear, hear.) .lhe. deputation
asked why when was sold to Gcrmunv at
n lower price ihan to Australians. T'ue
reply to that was that . wheat was not
being sold lo Germany at a price tliat.
would allow Germans to purchase it tor
tcs3 than Australians. Up to the present
wheal, had not been sold under an average
of: 9/ per-. bushel, ..but lie -still chela the
view that in the second half of the vour
there would bo a sharp decline- in value.;/
und that tho Goveriunerit would have to -
be in a position to face it. Tlie W neat
Board would luivq to meet ithe world-wide
competition in the price of flour, and ui
putting the deputation's-, .-views.: before
the Cabinet, with the further information
hc had gamed that dav, he would press
that view-. -Australian interests were at
stake. The high prices of necesnnes were
militating against the welfare of the peo
ple. Whether the producers liked it or
not, thoy were going to see lower price.;
for commodities in. operation. The tact-
- that there -was only : three shillings', worth
of -wool in a sutt of clothes,' and that . the-,
price of one pair of boots would be siifh--
cient to purchase three or four hide,
showed, however, that it was not the pro
ducer alone who was responsible for high
prices. The people wonld have to decide
whether wages or the cost of distribution
was the mam cause; He believed the
What .Board would have to readjust
itself to altered prices; and as he had
supported provision for readjustment - pre
viously, he would support readjustment
proposals when the board met. (Ap
plause.)
Mrs. Hackett: Tf tlie men don't wake
up, the women will. (Langhter.)
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