THE WHEAT GUARANTEE IN BRITAIN

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2556, 2 September 1915, Page 5

THE WHEAT GUARANTEE IN BRITAIN

QUESTION RENEWED: Bt Press Association—CopyrisM (Ri-c. September 1, 5.45 p.m.) London, September 1. The first interim report ot the Millers 1 Committee recommended a guarantee to die farmers of a minimum of 455. per quarter for their wheat, but this lias siuce been negatived,, as .explained by .Lord Selbourn<i in his speech a few days ago. The committee found that the oniy method ; of substantially iricws.sing the British 3916 harvest ras by tho cultivation of some of the poorer grass and without diminishing the output of nieat and milk, and the country's capacity to maintain live stock. The opinion was held that tho proposed guarantee would result in an increase of tho wheat acreage from the present two million acres to three millions, giv-. ing sis weeks additional supply for the whole of the United Kingdom. The guarantee would iuvolvc highet wages for farm labour, and greater employ-' nient, but no such serious labour shortage as would render the ."proposal'impracticable. It was suggested that tho Government and the farmers might- organise supplies of manuro and laboursaving machinery, It is belioved that many, of the farmers will respond to an appeal in the national itnerest, even at the sacrifice of the certainty of their present profits. The committee refrained from recommending-, a fixed maximum prico at which the Government might buy, bocause that might dialocato trade" and check importation.