WHEAT QUESTIONS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16145, 25 February 1918, Page 3

WHEAT QUESTIONS.

GOVERNMENT CONTROLLER

CLEARS UP POINTS

NORTH v. SOUTH ISLAND PRICES

(srrciAr. to "the press.")

TIMAlir, February 23. When the Government wheat eor.truller (Mr \Y. (!. McDonald) was in Timaru to-cla.v a representative of "The Press - ' liatl a conversation with him, tvhen sonic points of general interest wore made clear. Jll reply to a question as to how the Government's purchase scheme was working, Mr McDonald said that it was working very well, and all parties seemed fairly well satisfied. Asked coni corning the Government intention in regard, to next year's prices for wheat, the Controller said that was a matter for the Minister of Agriculture and the Cabinet, but he could say this: That since the Hoard of Trade reported 011 prices tlie present discouraging harvest prospects had been placed by prominent grain men before the Minister of Agriculture, with the result that tho Minister had re-submitted the question to the Board of Trade for a further report. The Controller added that he could not say how soon next year's prices would be gazetted, but it was recognised that farmers should be told as soon as pos- j siblc in order that they might be couraged to grow tho maximum amount of wheat next season. A FEW POINTS MADE CLEAR. Asked concerning his business in Timaru, Mr McDonald said that he had met. the grain brokers and had discussed with them several points in regard to the regulations under which wheat was being bought. There were one or two points which should bo made clear. For example, it was a breach of the regulations for a broker to give .1 farmer a concession in the price of sacks as an inducement for tho farmer to sell his I grain through that particular broker, i Li was a breach of the regulations for a ; broker to offer inducements of any sort to farmers to sell their grain through him. It was also a breach of the broker's license for him. without the express authority of tho miller for ; whom lie was buying, to pass grain at the paddock. It was no part of the broker's duty to pass wheat in the field before the miller had had an opportunity of seeing it. Another point was that if a farmer was dissatisfied with a miller's rejection of his wheat he would be quite at liberty to offer it to another miller, or lu> could call in tho Government grader to arbitrate as between himself and the- miller, in wliieli case the decision of thet grader would be final. AUSTRALIAN WHEAT. ' In reference .to the Australian wheat which the Government had purchased, ' Mr McDonald said that the last ship- , mont of tho purchase would arrive at | an early date, and would be landed at Lyttelton, Timaru,. and !Dunedin. j Originally the Government had agreed I to purchase 3,000,000 bushels, but tho quantity actually taken was about J 1,000.000 bushels. ! NORTH ISLAND GRAIN. j" l Questioned as to why the Govcm- ! niont were giving 4d a bushel more Ito North islanu farmers than to I kouth Islanu farmers for their whoat, Mr McDonald said the position was that last season the North. Island grew between 8000 and 9000 acres of wheat, estimating tho yield at 30 bushels. Ihi s would amount to approximate! v between 240,000 and 270,000 bushels, barely enough to satisfy North Island requirements for ten uavs. It was, therefore, claimed, that practically the whole of the flour ground in the North Island must be from wheat grown in the <Sonth Island, and the flour miller must get the price for his flour basod on the cost of the wheat at this mill. Ihis necessarily must include the cost of freight .between tho two islands, approximately between od and 6d per bushel. II the North Island millors were allowed .to buy North Islanu wheat at the same price as South - Island wheat at port of shipment, they would make, if tho wheat were of the same quality, an additional profit equivalent to bet-woan od and Gd per bushel. Thus, if tho North Island vield were 250.000 bushels, and the freight between the two islands were calculated at od, the North Island millers would gain in addition to their jrdinary profits a further sum of G5208 6s Bd. It was thought better that this sum should go to the pockets of the producers, and not into the pockets of the millers, if tho North Island wheat were of the same quality ns the South Island wheat. The difference in price should have been between 5 and 6d por bushel, as it was inferior in quality. The difference in price allowed the North Island farmer was nut down at 4rl. in order to give tho North Island miller an inducement to use the wheat grown in his own d;sitnc*. otherwise he might, have bought all his Venuiremonts in the south, and inferior North Island wheat world hnv" been left on the Government's 1 hands. ! ___________ A lar<re film comnarv has bc«n fn v ni»v] i in B°rlin, with n capital of £'1 .Q-'I.C-'YI. : for the purpose of assuring the diffusion ; of German films throughout the world, i * ■ j Barraclough's Progandra cures Cojas 1