WHEAT PRICES.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16165, 20 March 1918, Page 6

WHEAT PRICES.

FARMERS' OPINIONS

There was not a very great numbof of farmers i.i town yesterday, but a representative of "The Press ' managed to buttonhole two well-known North Canterbury men and obtain their opinions as to the new guaranteed prices for the 1918-19 crop as announced by the Minister of Agriculture yesterday. . From what they said it would appear that the rise of id per bushel on luscan and 2d and 3d per bushel on Hunters and Velvet respectively is a good wav from the price which the great majority of wheat-growers thought they were entitled. "To put the matter in .a nutshell," said one. "I ,° on . think the Government's offer will be sufficient to make any man change Lis mind. For my part, • speaking as a. grower of wheat, the additional money offered would not persuade me to put in one extra paddock of wheat. Itis rather a paltry offer when all the circumstances am taken into consideration, and tho Government is very well aware of what these circumstances are. Wo have had three very disappointing years, and the present season is for somo reasons the most disappointing of the three. Personally I as a business man, take into account . the risk attaching to tho operation _ of , wheatgrowin. "When I go into such a proposition,' I want to see my way out of it. at a reasonable pront if possible, but at any rate without a loss, and a great many men nave actually lost money over wheat lately. It is rather annoying to a wheat man to feel that his year's work has been done for nothing when he knows thai his neighbour over the fence has made a good profit out of lambs or wool or dairying. I must say that this yeai the labour question has not been halt as bad as I thought it was going to be. "We got through the harvest very well considering. Certainly we Lad to pay. high wages to harvesters ma for our threshing, but I will say that,' as far as my experience went, the men worked like men. They did their ■ share, and seemed to realise that there was a heavy responsibility upon them. However, what the conditions will be next harvest we don't know, and I think it is as much this uncertainty as the matter of actual prices, which is causing so much anxiety to farmers. If we had a really good harvest I fancy most men could make a reasonable profit on the new prices, but with fill the existing uncertainty I don't think the Government's offer will change to, fanner's mind. Ido not share the usual idea that practically no wlwat will be grown; a fair-sized area will go in, but it will be a good deal '.ess than last year. In my opinion it would bo rather a disgrace for New Zealand to be entirely dependent upon Australia for wheat, and you may fce verv certain that if we set into this position we shall pay dear for it. Our extremitv will be Australia's opportunity. and "ivitli wheat in America at 9s a busjiel. y<?u may back on the fact that Australia will get evert, pennv out of us that she can, and we will have to pay it." Tho other farmer concurred wm these views. "The Government conic very well afford to offer a substantial bonus to all wheatgrowers for every bushel of wheat they produced, n« said. "The money could be taken from the amounts gained for wool, meat, and dairy produce, and certain!? the men who grew the wool and meat would hardly feel the difference, partof which would be returned to them in the cheaper flour and bread tnGT would receive."

(syrciAL to "thx raEss.") WELLINGTON, March 19. The Government priccs announced yesterday for the 1918-19 wheat crop are f.o.b. PRICES CONSIDERED INADEQUATE. (rRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) TIMART7. March 19. The Chamber of Commerce Commit* tee, at its monthly meeting to-night, afW a discussion, resolved that the prices offered by the Government for next season's wheat crop were entirely inadequate, and that a request be made that the prices be reviewed. T The Fairlie branch of the Farmers Union agreed that the prices oftcrou would not induce production.