WHEAT SUPPLIES.

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3094, 26 May 1917, Page 6

WHEAT SUPPLIES.

THE "PURCHASES IN AUSTRALIA,

' The purchase.if a- million' and. a. .half bushels, of: wheat. in ■ Australia, which has just been completed by tha- Hon. AV.. D. S. MacDonald-on behalf'of. the New ■ -Zealand Government, should relieve any anxiety on. the question of the scarcity of bread in this country, pending next season's harvest .(says the 'Tanners' Union Advocate").. The price paid-os. 9d. per bushel, f.cb—is perhaps a little on the high side, but when the full circumstances are known it will probably be found that it is not unduly high. It is probable that the. price means that the wheat will be free from damage'by mice and of• "first milling; quality, and though it may make the; landed cost much, higher than the cost of the local article, the circumstances warrant the purchase. ■ It is noteworthy, however, that the high cost of -the imported article strong contrast' the prices fixed fortius, season's wheat in New Zealand, and the offer of ss. lOd. for next year' 6 wheat. : In view of thi3; fact the Minister should have no object j tion how to acceding to our request that the ss. lOd. should >be on "trucks," so, that those who are a,long distance away from a port may receive as much for' their wheat as those near a port. •-. It should be recognised now that the farmer was not demanding, the full value of his produce in the negotiations for a fixed price, and the public should realise that they have the beat of the bargain. .The farmers have made up'their minds to do all thut is possible to put in wheat, and we are glad:' to say that the beneficent rains which have fallen will .greatly assist in the. breaking up of the, land. With a good season we may find it unnecessary again.to go outside the Dominion for our supplies, but the weather ia entirely beyond our control.. It is, however, satisfactory to know that for -this year, at any rate, the cause for anxiety has been removed. The difficulty of transporting the wheat will no doubt be arranged'on a basis that will keep th» landed cost low enough to obviate any\ necessity of increasing tho price of breid above present rates. ■