THE PRICE OF WHEAT.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20170, 24 February 1931, Page 13

THE PRICE OF WHEAT.

TO TBI- TOITOB 0* THE FEESB. Sljf,—ln Saturday's issue I notice that Mr Forbes saya'that the price of wheat will have to .come ,down. Now, the farmerqareLaQxioufr to knowimmediately nyhal he means to do ia the matter. If "he dQesaway with the sliding scale, it mst means that the Australian wheat will supply .the" local markets. Austra- ( Haa Governments .have always considered their own farmers and workers too much to let any New Zealand produce in. Last year our farmers .could scarcely sell their potatoes, and in Sydney they wore five a shilling. Now, here ia a suggestion worth considering, if • Mr Forbes would consider it. Also it would help everybody, from •tho* Government down to the harvester. -The slidingsoale must remain exactly as it is. That will protect the local market. Then let us put a levy on the locally-grown wheat, starting at, say, the fiat three or four hundred bushels. This would have the -effect of helping the small wheat-grower, fend one would be paying in accordance with the sizo of his wheat crop. Also it will keep our New Zealanders employed. - Think of the men wheat employs, directly or indirectly. §tart with the teamster—4t occupies the greater part of hia..time for the whole year. Then the harvesters^—the mill hands- —the flour millers—and railway employees. If tbo sliding scale goes, it means more unemand less money)for everybody. < Further, the moiey thus collected from the levy. wcjuld be useful if kept in a, '' separate' fund-to help to provide reproductive >w«rif or the unemployed during the winter months. The farmers are In a state b&d enough for anything now.- - If they are not protected it only falls back on the workers, 4nd consequently on everybody, including the business people. Surely oui own' New Zealand should" be considered first. Australia dumps all her goods here-^andnobody protests—also her unemployed* Will somebody take ,fhe.matter up, and see if ianpers can't offer a solution t Mr Ported says his men are working out ftgqtoa-qn-the,matter. That won't those inen can make figures prove scything. Spmething practical is vfhat' we want, and we want it at once.' Woyld the Chamber of Compierce say something T —;YQurß, etc., ' U ; ' *' . x , ' , AFABMER. Itarfieid, t ,23rd, 1931.