PRICE OF FERTILISERS WHEAT SUPPLIES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 96, 17 January 1919, Page 8

PRICE OF FERTILISERS

WHEAT SUPPLIES

•• Alerchants in Auckland do not anticipate any immediate fall in the" current price'for fertilisers; Speaking on tlie subject this week a local merchant said it had heen expected that a large shipment "f bone-dust would be received from Calcutta in i\fareh. but latest information was to the effect that the boat would not now sail in February. The only other source of -supply is Sydney, but as '• dther articles have priority it is not thought-that much will find its way into New • Zealand from this source. Latest information is also to the effect that the export of slag from Great Britain has been prohibited. All of what may he termed the fancv manures are practically unprocurable. Bearing these things in mind, it does not appear likely that the expectations of a fall in prices will bo realised.

Quite a number of flaxmill workera have not gone back to work since the Christmas holiday.?, and a number of mill-owners are experiencinc; great -difficulty in getting the numbers of men which they require (states the "Manawatu Daily Times").

NO DOMINION SHORTAGE. A little hns been heard of late about an alleged shortage of wheat in Now Zealand, the complaints having come mostly from the North Island. The Minister of Agriculture said yesterday that there was no real shortage ot wheat in the country. There had been for a time a shortage of supplies in the .North Island, but the reason was that it was the plan of the, Government to supply the North Island with the wheat which had to be imported from Australia. It was cheaper to land the Australian wheat in the North Island than in the South Island, and there was already locally-grown wlic.it in the south. In' times when the utmost use had to. be made of shipping available it was. highly desirable that shipping should/not be.used for.the unneiessary carriage of South Island wheat to the North. The Kauri was on her way to Australia, and she was expected back at the end of the month witii a,cargo of wheat. Mr. MacDoiiald said that'tliero was no doubt that, the'harvest would bo late this venr, and 'thrashing correspondingly late. But although there. I was o less are.v of land -under wheat ■ this year than thorn was last year, the yields promised to be' better per acre, and he was advised that the total return from .the thrashing would be quite as good as last year.