WHEAT & FLOUR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2656, 30 December 1915, Page 6

WHEAT & FLOUR

PROSPECTS VERY DUBIOUS

STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER. By Telegraph.—Pres6 Association. Auckland, December 29. The prospective wheat supply was discussed this evening by the Prime Minister. "It is very doubtful whether we shall havo enough wheat from the new crop for our own requirements for thenext twelve months," .said Mr. ilassey. "I intend to visit Canterbury shortly to ascertain the position, iii the meantime, I am only going by reports that have reached 'mo, and when one jiears of tens of thousands of acres having affected, some by late frosts and some by a bad variety of rust, one cannot help coming to the conclusion that the outlook is serious. I hope it may be otherwise, but it is quite impossible to judge until the grain is harvested, and part of it has been put through the threshing machine." Mr. Massey said there was no doubt that the present supplies cf wheat and flour wore sufficient to meet requirements until the new season's grain was available." If we require to import wheat," lie added, "it will bo cheaper to obtain it from Australia, which apparently has a largo surplus, than to attempt to bring it from anywhere else."