AUSTRALIAN HARVEST

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2656, 30 December 1915, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN HARVEST

action tqken ■ by tho • Australian btate Parliaments to conserve the food supplies of tlio people was referred to by the Hon. W. H. Edgar, late Minister in charge of the Victorian Tourist and-Health Resorts and Public Health Departments, who' arrived in Auckland o? X on Monday. "Tile btatds, and Victoria in particular, liave had a remarkably good season," stated it' S ar a "Herald" reporter, and generally the position as regards wlieat harvest'is very satisfactory. Ihe State Governments; h'ave combined to pool tho wliolo of the wheat haryest, with the object of obtaining for the farmers the best price for their produce, and of obviating the' exploitation of the people. • . "Under this scheme the whole of tho wheat will be handled and sold throuch the agency of tho Government," explained Mr. Edgar. "Already tho Prime Minister has announced tliat an order for SOOjOOO tons of wheat has -been received from Britain and France. When the Government' takes over the wheat tho .farmer gets a certificate for whatever quantity he lias. He then becomes entitled to an advance payment of 2s. 6d a bushel, and liis certificate can be cashed at any of the Commonwealth or Associated banks. When the whole of the wheat has been disposed of in •?i c . ourse °f a few months the profits will be divided. The cost of handling the wheat amounts to about 3 s l d. per bushel; -this covers commission, shipping, and all other charges. Wellknown firms have been appointed agents for tho Government, and tho system has given general satisfaction.' The nullers, of course, like everyone else, have to obtain their supplies from tho (Government, , , "This system has been really due to conditions arising out of tho war," added Mr. Edgar. "In matters of this kind we generally follow New Zealand, hut I think we havo gone one better in adopting this scheme."