NEXT SEASON'S WHEAT CROP

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 172, 10 April 1918, Page 8

NEXT SEASON'S WHEAT CROP

MINIMUM PRICE FIXED.

Oy Telegraph-Press Association. Christchurch, April 9. Members of the Canterbury branches of the Farmers' Uuion mot the Minister or' Agriculture in conference today regarding tho price to be fixed by the 'Government lor wheat. It was announced during the aftornoon that as a result Mr. MacDoiiald had agreed to give fanners Cs. -Id. per bushol as a guaranteed minimum for next soasou's wheat crop, in addition to which the market is to bo loft entirely open. The Minister, speaking to a reporter, said tho whole of tho farmers at tho conference, once an agreement was come to, had expressed their desire to help in overy way to sno that us much wheat as possible should bo put in in the coming season. Ho folt confident, now t'tio matter was finally agreed upon, that tho wholo of thofarmors would Iry to riso to tho occasion. As for tlio-VequiriMiiOiits of tho country, it was very impmtnnt that a reasonable quantity of wheat should bo grown in tho country. Ho did not anticipate, ovon ill llu> now prico, that suflicicn't. would be grown for homo requirements, but tho bulk would bo. Questioned regarding tlm position of •millers next your, the Minister said some arrangement would luivo to bo como to regarding tho distribution of wheat. Ho took it, that millers would have the option of buying up to their own requirements. Tho matter would ■have to bo thought out. They would bo freo to buy from tlio farmers and the prico they would pay would be influenced largely by tho amount of wheat grown. Mr. D. Jones, president of the Farmers' Union, said tho now had a minimum without a maximum., The Government had also agreed for the future protection of whoatgrowers in New Zealand to considor tho question of placing the New Zealand and Australian tariffs with regard to wheat' and flour on the same level