WHEAT SUPPLY.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16146, 26 February 1918, Page 6

WHEAT SUPPLY.

NEXT SEASON'S CROP. PROBABLE DECREASE IX AREA S'OWX. The question of the possibility of • decrease in the area in Canterbury to bo sown in wheat for th e 191S-1919*sea-s-on is one thai, according to some authorities, ought to have received attontion three or four months ago, and is now demanding urgent attention lrom the Governmoni. ,\ s reeentlv as u, S ny .. lost - tho Whcat Controller 1 r »\ . G. McDonald.) stated that tho Government had not yet come to anv decision regarding next season's crop In some quarters it is considered too late now to make adequate arrangements. [t is alleged, tor instance, that owing to tho failure of the Government to mak 0 a dotinito announcement on tlio subject in October or Xovember last, wneat growers have become nnntiereiu in tno matter, and th e fact tnat bad seasons have been experienced recently has not tended to hearten tiiom. "'From tho opinions expressed to me by wheat-growers, it appears that, unless tho Government take some urgent steps .oniy about tvo-third s of tho urea sown in wheat in Canterbury last, season will be sown for next season," was the considered opinion of Mr £l. S. Bourn, when asked regarding the present position of affairs by a representative of "Tho Press." The explanation is, of course, the superior inducements to raise sheep. The piesent season has been such a lino one for tho growth of fodder that the wheat-raiser cannot help envyiu" his neighbour, tho graeier, when he sees him driving off his fat lambs and sheep to the saleyards. When no compares tho risks he runs as a wheatgrower with those run by tho grazior, when he thinks over th© increases he has had to meet —increases in the cost j l lv * n S. increases in connexion with, almost overything necessary for the production of whoat—labour, agricultural implements, and railway freights —the wheat-grower is disposed to think that the grower of sheep and wool is on the much better wicket.

! Mr Bourn strongly emphasised the fact that the Government should have mad© known its intentions in November. "It is absolutely necessary," he said, "for successful wheat-growing in a great many districts in Canterbury, to commence to prepare tho ground in November; by March or April timo has been lost, and cannot be regained in} respect of the skim ploughing that should have been done towards th& end of tho year. In November tho wheatgrowers ought to have known the prict or prices for the 1918-1919 crop. ■ ) consider that it is highly necessary, if the Govcrnmont is really anxious to encourage wheat-growing, that prices should be fixed several years ahead —at least three years ahead, but preferably four. Tho necessity for this is obvious: the wheat-grower has tc plan a rotation of crops, and to do ,60 i he must know where he is. If thfc Government do not take some urgent steps to get things going it will be face to face with a considerable shortage of wheat next year for the Dominion's requirements." Mr Bourn next referred to _ the importation of wheat. "While it. might b e considered to bo cheaper to import wheat than to grow it in the Dominion," ho said, "it seems absurd to throw out an industry for which this country is so peculiarly adapted. There are also the risks of sea transport and of climatic conditions in Australia. *t must be borne in mind, too, that the Commonwealth wheat-grower is in much the same position as the New Zealand wheat-grower, and is seriously considering the advisableness of going >vJt of wheat-growing; in fact, there \vill be considerably less wheat grown hi Australia this year than during the past two years. With all tho piles of wheat standing at every port and every railway station in the wheat-growing districts in Australia last year, tre New Zealand Government could not purciinse Australian wheat for loss 1 aan 6s per bushel f.0.b.. Australia." JJtr Bourn touched briefly on tho economic side of tho question—the unsound policy of spending money obtside the Dominion product l : ke wheat that can be raised in the Dominion. On the other hand, ho said, it might be strongly argued that it was false economy and false patriotism to grow wheat in New Zealand when a more profitable return could be obtained from raising sheep and wool. ' 'Could the price of wheat be fixiid at a figure which, whilo inducing tin farmer to grow it instead of raiiitip sheep and lambs, would not maka flour and bread too high in prioe lot tho consumer?" Mr Bourn was He thought that that was possible. Before the price of tho loaf advanced jd, wheat would need to increase in prico 9d per bushel, and while the £d was distributed over the whole of tho population tho 9d was confined to the few benefactors —he thought he might so desenbe them—who grew wheat. When the cost of wheat was analysed it would bo found that it was dependant largely, not so much on the -tost of sowing it and reaping it, but in the cost of re-conditioning the lani. after a wheat crop had been taken off it. to bring it again into an earning state. If tho prico wero fixed at 6s 6d per bushel it might, he thought, provo sufficient inducement to grow wheat as against sheep and lambs; and such a price would, practically, onlv involve an increase of id per loaf of bread. Mr Bourn adnod that he had heard adverse criticisms itt respect of the prices fixed last year, "it heing urged that there should. ho different prices for different varieties. He dissented from those and said that he considered that the essential thing was to got tho required quantity of wheat, and by using a solid straw a higher yield was generally cot. The quality of the flour might be lowered a little, but did that matter much in war time? Tho mam object was to get the necessary quantity of wheat, nnd consequently ..he varieties that gave the highest yield should be grown. Mr .Bourn included bv again emphasising the necessity for immediate action by the Government in respect to the wheat supply for next season. Confirmation of. the attitude .of Canterbury wheat-growers respecting tho crop was obtained in other quarters. The matter, it is understood, has not escaped the *;t----tonticn of the Canterbury Commissioner on tho National Efficiency Board, but Mr Frostick. when seen on the subject, was unable to give any information for publication. From what is 1 ;eard from those interested in the matter, it is one calling for immediate action if a serious shortage of wheat is to be averted next year.