WHEAT SUPPLY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2371, 29 January 1915, Page 6

WHEAT SUPPLY

PREPARATION FOR THE FUTURE RESULTS OF CENSUS A statement has been prepared by the Government Statistician (Mr. Malcolm Fraser) showing the state of our wheat stocks. "Early realising the seriousness of the position of the wheat supply, the Government took a census on November 18 last covering farmers, millers, and merchants, and it was found that exclusive of millers who held principally for their own manufacture the stocks in the hands of farmers and merchants amounted t0'228,717 bushels, of which 197,000 was held in lots of 1000 and over," states Mr. Fra6er. "In order to ascertain the position atthe present time, the Government has just completed another census covering those farmers or merchants who held stocks of 1000 or over in November last, and it is found that out of the 197,000 bushels then held by such persons only 13,574 bushels are in their hands at the present time, and of that quantity 4000 is held under contract of 6ale, and at least 2000 bushels represents seconds or fowl wheat. "It is therefore practically correct to say that beyond the stocks of wheat held by millers, there is no milling wheat whatever in the Dominion today, and it must be obviqus to any unbiased person that if tho Government had not made arrangements for the importation, of half a million bushels to arrive in New Zealand at the present time, there would not have been sufficient wheat in tho country to carry on until the next harvest came in. The prompt action of the Government, however, has saved the situation, and with the'supplies just arrived and arriving there will be sufficient wheat to supply the people's need until the new wheat comes to hand." "The Government are also fully alive to the future," said the Prime Minister referring to the above statement, "and are taking special steps by collecting returns from threshing mill owners to keep in touch with the actual production of the harvest from time to time, so that whatever action may be necessary to safeguard the necessities of tho people throughout the coming year may be taken as soon as tho necessity arises. The acuteness and seriousness of the present position, however, cannot be denied, and only the action of the Government in providing the half-million bushels now coming to hand has saved the situation."