AUSTRALIAN WHEAT PURCHASE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 278, 13 August 1918, Page 8

AUSTRALIAN WHEAT PURCHASE

freights arranged FOR. I By Telegraph.—Press Association. 1 Auckland, August 12. The Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald announces that a further 2,000,000 bushels of wheat hays been purchased in Australia orv the 6amo terms, namely, ss. 7id. a bushel, as those upon which 2,000,000 bushela were purchased last month. Tho New Zealand Government ■will provide the ships for the transport, tho wheat being delivered f.o.b. in Australia. One shipment is already .on the way, and should arrive in. Auckland in a few days, and further freights have been arranged at intervals without interfering ■with inter-colonial carrying services. As to the wheat production of the Dominion, the Minister says the winter sowing has been far less than lust year, and a smaller spring, sowing is also expected. Farmers had been unfortunate for tho past three years in getting low yields, but if the average during the coming season was 28 or 30 bushels an aero this, "with the-addition of a million bushela from Australia half-yearly, would assure a supply of wheat for the Dominion's- requirements, which were 500,000 bushels monthly for ilmir purposes and 100,000 bushels for other uses. In a few days the minimum price of 6s. 4d. per bushel, with a freo market, will be gazetted as the amount fixed for the coming season's wheat. So fai as the interpretation of "free market stands, Mr. Mac Donald says the Government has no idea of prejudicing a reasonable market price, and whatever was a fair market price over and above Gs. id. the Government will be prepared to pay farmers.