WHEAT STATISTICS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2959, 23 December 1916, Page 12

WHEAT STATISTICS

GOVERNMENT FIGURES JUSTIFIED. The Minister of Internal Affairs (the Eon. G. W. Russell) made a statement yesterday in defence of a branch of his Department that has 'been oriticiscd adversely. "During the conferences that have recently, been held regarding the price of wheat," said Mr. Eussell, "questions have been raised, especially at the, conference in Christchurch, as to tho accuracy of the statistics provided by the Census and Statistics Office. The matter has been referred to the Government Statistician for explanation, arid ho has forwarded to mo the following reply:—, "(1) Returns collected monthly for

the past season, 1915-16, from threshing . null owners, show that in round numbers 6,750,000 bushels of wheat were threshed.

"(2) Particulars collected l by the police from tho farmers themselves gave an actual yield of a little over 7,000,000 bushels.

"(3) Taking production as above and allowing for nine months' consumption at 500,000 bushels per month, and the new season's seed requirements, the stock of wheat in tho Dominion on November 30 should have been between 1,750,000 and 2,000,000 bushels. "(4) The census just: taken shows that the quantity of milling wheat held in stock by farmers, merchants, and flour millers, was in round numbers 1,750,000 bushels.

"In view of tho facts as stated," concluded Mr. Russell, "I hope there will be no further questioning by those interested as to tho accuracy *rf the figures published from time to time by the Government Statistician." '