PRICE OF WHEAT

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16986, 8 November 1920, Page 5

PRICE OF WHEAT

4 . TIMARU FARMERS* UNION RESOLUTION. (SPJSOIAIi TO "THE FBESS.") TIMARU, November 6. At the meeting of the Timaru branclj, of the New Zealand Farmers' Union today, Mr C. L. Orb ell referred to the prosecution by the Government last, week of a .Pleasant Point farmer and a Timaru firm of grain brokers for a breach of the regulations governing tihe purchase of wheat by the Government. Mr Orbell said lie lived not far from, the fanner (Mr Nelligan) who was prosecuted, and knew the circumstances of the case from Ato Z. Mr Nelligan iiad some under-grade wheat, and (had made the mistake of sending it to the North Island on consignment, instead of selling it to a broker. For this he - had been fined. £200, though he had actually lost money bi sending it away | as 'he had done, instead of selling it to j

a broker. Tlie firm through which he Jiad shipped had made nothing out of the transaction, and as soon as they discovered their mistake in shippingJUr Nelligan's wheat they had saved him (the speaker) from placing himself in precisely the same position as Air Kelligan. Not having studied the wheat regulations carefully, he had intended to siliip some smutty wheat whicll he had to the North Island, but Moody, Annand and Co.j on learning of his intention. advised him not to do so, &a It would be a breach of the regulations. By taking their advice, he had been saved a fine of £200. . ... But there was something iniquitous alwufc the regulations, Mr Orbell .continued, to wnich he desired to draw attention, and against which he thought the Union should protest. The regulations provided that a farmer must first cubmit all his wheat to a Government grader, then any which the grader classed as not np to milling standard must be offered to a broker,- who was free to re-sell at a profit of not more than one penny per bushel, but the person to whom the broker sold could fharge anything 810 liked for it. his fthe speaker's) under-grade .wheat had been sold T»y him at the Government's fixed price of 7s Id. The brokers to whom he sold it charged 7s 2d for it, but the Nortih Island buyers sold it for »s to 10s per bushel. Tho iniquity of jfcho thing came in allowing North Is- i

land agents to profiteer at the expense of Canterbury wheat-growers. The farmer who had all the trouble and expense of growing tlhe wheat should get whatever there was in it, instead of the agents being allowed to make .huge profits out of it. It looked as though tpo Government were in league with the agents to put money in their pockets, and penalise the farmer. "When once tine wheat was landed and found not fit for milling, the grower should bo allowed to do what ho liked with it. I Instead of fhat, the Government said it must be sold at a fixed price, resold at not more than a penny per | bushel profit, and when it got into j tfcU hands of the third party he could . charge whatever he liked for it. The j thing was absurd, and the Union should . enter an emphatic protest, j Mr Orbell moved: "That as soon as j wheat is rejected by the Government I grader as not being fit for milling, it should become free wheat, and that the i Government be asked to amend the j regulations to this effect." j Mr W. B. Jones seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. Mr P. It. Talbot said that the Government should fix a minimum price for wheat, and not interfere in any way i with its sale. I