WHEAT QUESTION.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 November 1917, Page 3

WHEAT QUESTION.

| A SATISFACTORY OUTLOOK

WELLINGTON, Nov. 12,

The Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald) expects ro have all the arrangements for the purchase of the next season’s wheat- crop completed soon after the return of the members of the Board of Trade from Christchurch to-morrow. According to the returns obtained by tlie Government, Statistician, the wheat ]>osition promises to lie very satisfactory in New Zealand next season. His returns show that the area. under wheat i s 293,000 acres, which is 55,000 more than the area under that crop last year. The harvest last year was disappointing, hut this year the prospects for a good harvest are exceptionally good. Reports from the wheit ‘‘is tricts are that they have never Icon better. The .average crop for the Dominion is 28.) bushels per acre, but as the crop this year promises to better than average, it is reasonable to c.ilciw late on a3O bushel crop. This will mean 1 a yield for the Dominion of 8; million bushels, and the total requirement? of the Dominion, allowing for reed wheat and seconds, is about eig’-t million bushels. If there should be a enrrv over of half a million bushels it will be exceedingly satisfactory. For the present the arrangement is that the price in the coming' season at which the Government will purchase the wheat is to be a flat rate of 5s lOd per bushel. In fixing the prices lastvenr, a difference was made between Tuscan and tlie finer sorts of wheat— Pearl, Velvet, and Hunters. This year tlie Minister promised the farmers in discussing the lhat.ter of the proposed purchase tlva’t, there would he a maximum rate of 5s 10d per bushel, hut he decided later that ns more than twothirds of the crop would be Tuscan, there would be n better chance of geti.in.T n sufficiently large yield, if the price of Tuscans wore raised to that allowed for Pearl. Velvet, and Hunters. The Minister is now of opinion that if there is an abundant, crop there will be no necessity for increasing the price for the finer grades. Should adverse conditions' arise, ho will bo prepared to T-onsidor whether the growers of the bettm- qualities of wheat should not ho naid a slight increase-on the flat rite, but If the present good prospects n,- 0 fulfilled, 5s lOd should be a payable nrioo to the growers of i 5 The Government ha« been trying to arrange for some of the oversea steamers loading parth- in Australia and nartlv in New Zealand, to bring over some of the wheat purchased hv the Government, and still bring in store in Australia, hut up till the present without success. A special steamer is now loading wheat in Australia: for New Zealand Government, and it seems' possible that we shall have to relv on this steamer for the transport of the whole of this wheat to +bL country. In all. there are about four full cargoes ‘of wheat in Australia awaiting shipment, but it is estimated that, if- two cargoes could be brought, over without much dolav. we should have sufficient wheat* tide us over the one — 1 crisis. . .The remainder offer H>« two cargoes could come by the ordinnrv intercolonial steamers.