THE WHEAT POSITION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 108, 31 January 1919, Page 8

THE WHEAT POSITION

I FARMERS AND MINISTERS. "• j By Telegraph—l'rees Association.' 'l Chrittchurch, January 29. . The fact that the Government, in de- '., parting from its contract with growers i of a free market for wheat this'season, i has fixed the price at 63. Od. por bushel i (a figure whiett, while based on the cost ; of Australian importations, does not inj : elude the amount represented by the I duty), was Ihe subject of strong: conj demnation at a meeting between repre- ';■ sentativee of the North Canterbury ':. Tanners' Union and the Minister of '.. Agriculturo. Mr. David Jones, after dc- • tailing the proceodings at the confer-' jv. ence between the farmers and tho Minis- '.■' ter, said : v "Wo accepted a free market' I as meaning in the ordinary course that , the duty would remain on. Not only r this, but wo maintain, Mr. Mac Donald, : that it was clearly in your mind through- ! out the year that this,was so." Mr. MacDounld: I do not think you : can say that. ■ . . . i Mr. Jones: I think so. In fact, you : eaw Mr.W. G. Mac Donald, Wheat ConI troller. about changing the oiler to a i fixed price of 7s. ' Mr.| Mac Donald: I did not see- him to I' that effect. I asked him to ascertain I the lowest nccep.tnblo price. ■ i Mr. Jonw: Tlie Wheat Conlroller cou- ; jvc.ved a contrary impression when ho saw . us.. The Minister interjected thot the poaii tion forced upon tho Government was ! that the Solicitor-General had advised it ! that it would l>o inipossiblo : to give n , free : market and maintain control. That .; necessitated a now arrangement; but he ■ wanted it to l)e thoroughly understood . that .he hnd never authorised anyone to j mention 7s. a bushel as' ft price. . Mr. Jones: Tho Wheat Controller said : you promised 7s. as tho price. That ' eiißgestion was also made by yourself to j the Wheat Committee in Wellington. ! Tho. Minister: Oh, no! i MriJonea: "Yee. Nothing was done at \ the time, but the fact that this price ! was mentioned is a clear indication that I the .equivalent of duty was intended to j bo paid," Mr. Jonea went on to aay that : the arbitrators reported that the price I ehould be Cs, lOd, at Chrietcbwdi, Ti-

laeru, and Oamaru, and also suggested f<3. Bd. to ss, lOd. for next season. The Government agreed to this, but threw out more iniporiaiit proposals regarding this year.. He wiuiderod the Government's action a byeit'.'h of faith. The Minister, in reply, stated that 6ince tho 6s. Id. ofter it was obvious that the Governici'iit would not got wheat, and would have to go out of the Dominion for supplies. It was the Government's concern whether it remitted tho duty on its outside purchas?3. It had been done for the past seven years. He agreed with every word spoken at the conference that the duty ought to be put on a parity with that o£ Australia. This was not a question for Cabinet to deal with, but tor Parliament. The duty was imposed on wheat not for revenue purposes, but to protect the. farmer. One ilhristchurch newspaper had said that ho had done more harm to wheatgrowing than any other . Minister of Agriculture. Yet. he could confidently submit his record. When he took-of-■lice the wheat area had 6hrunk to 166,0(10 acres. In consequence of his efforts to encourage growers, it increased - to 300,000 acres. Mr. Jones: That .was not due to higher prices, hut to a call to patriotism. The Minister: "Well, to both."-Hho referred to publicity given to the report oi" the conference proceedings, which ho claimed were confidential,'and remarked that they would have- an opportunity perhaps this year of getting a better man to fill his position. He would place- the views expressed before Cabinet, and if the" price were altered those growers who sold in the interim would receive the diiference. : ■