WHEAT PRODUCTION.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 August 1925, Page 4

WHEAT PRODUCTION.

WELLINGTON, August 4

“The wheat grower should have a proper guarantee extending over four or five yeans,” suggested Mr Macperson (Oamaru) to the Minister of Agriculture in the House to-day. The member said that nothing short of some permanence of policy would encourage farmers to remain in this important and essential industry and make New Zealand self-supporting. The Minister of Agriculture had not been as sympathetic in this question as wheat growers had a. right to expect. Lie seemed more interested in wool and sheep, hut he should have taken a broader view of his responsibility to help the farmer who had been trying to do his duty to the country and to himself in growing sufficient wheat for our requirements. The Minister should look at what America and Australia had done to encourage the producer, and then contrast New Zealand’s efforts which were simply a flea-bite. No farm industry absorbed .so much labour as wheat-growing, anil there was evidence of the effect of itfi discouragement in the large mini tier of unemployed, especially in Christchurch. New Zealand was sending out a-million and a half of its money to Australia, and what was the result of the four big towns which had been dealing in the wheat business? Christchurch had the handling of about a. million sterling worth of wheat in a year hut this season it.s turnover had been reduced to a quarter, while money had in addition to he found to send out of New Zealand for supplies. Those who had been asking that protection should lie removed from the wheat industry would wake up some day and find out their mistake when Australia encountered its next succession of dry seasons. He regarded it as lamentable that the Government should allow a big combine to come in and make terms with the wheat grower instead of the Government taking the matter into its own hands. Machinery shops were

working short time, grain stores were empty and tho railway revenue had been reduced through the mistaken policy adopted in regard to wheatgrowing m New Zealand. Whenoiei the Government had conic into the matter it always did it too late, after the farmer bail been obliged to make his plans for the season, and unless it soon awakened to its responsibility it would find that the wheat producers, .laving gone out id business, it would he difficult to get him to provide fresh equipment in place of his implements, which were being allowed to rust into disuse.