POULTRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 235, 22 June 1918, Page 13

POULTRY NOTES

(By "Chanticleer.")

Tha Whoat Question. It ia becoming mojro anil uioj'e cvidenti that wheat growiiib' in New Zealand is', rapidly decreuainir. Tlio latent statistics' show tliat thero will uot be (tultlciunt millins; wheat for oui' requirements this enaboii, uolwithatiuidinji that there was n.. moderate liiirvest. Whether the farmer should grow wheat, from a patriotic point of view is open to question, but the fact remains, and poiiUry-keepers may have to look elsewhere for their supplies of corn, not only for this season, but evidently for senaoua to come. Experiments have eliouu that liens can bo kept profitably without corn, but the work cnuiilod ia considerably increased and the returns subeti.iilially reduced. For the- Inst two Bciifjon* wo liave been protected by the OoMcnlment fixing the price tliat could he. demanded for wheat, but liio protection, will next season be removed, and it would be well for producers to be prepare/! for cumins events. We firmly beliovo '(hat if persistent effort be msuhi the. Government would recognise that ia' the interest ol .tilO' general public tho poultry iiidtietry in net bo kept goinK, which can only be done by supplies beiiig provided and at it prico that, would leave, a reasonable profit. The question theu arises what is cojDK, to be done about i\l. if practically all the corn grown in Klsw Zealand is required for milling purpoaos-are we to ntand idly by mid tak» no action? Organised bodies throughout Uiu Donihiioi) uiuut take the lnuttor in liwid, and proof can lie shown that tho industry is in n perilous position cat the present time. We firmly' beliuvo that tho public and the Government would support an application from the oxficutivo of the- New Zealand Poultry Association for supplies from outBld« sources, and a reinissiion of. the duty. This matter, has already licen dealt with at the latest conference, b<it nothing practicable has-been done, nor will anything be granted unless the qneution bo made a burning oite, and tho horrid of the executive bo fitrent'thened by resolutions from the growers. If Australian wheat can bis delivered iu America at 4|i. Id. per bushel, as reported recently, then, why not in New Zealand? Thouffli the policy of a heovy duty on imported milling wheat may or may not bo a sound one, obtaining wheat for thii production Qf erjgs and poultry ebould be viewed from, auite a different basis.