CLAIM FOR PROTECTION

Hokitika Guardian, 13 September 1929, Page 3

CLAIM FOR PROTECTION

BY N.Z. WHEAT GROWERS. '!

By Telegraph—Press Asbo., Copyright*.

WELLINGTON, Sep. 11.

At the Wheat. Inquiry, the Chaiiy man called the President cif the Nety. ■Zealand- Farmers’’ Union, Mr W. Jf.: Poison,’ who said thah in January or February this year he waited upoih the Prime Alinister ip company with, members of the 'Executive of . the,. Farmers’ Union, and discussed a nunirLer of matters, including the wheat •question. The Prime Minister : had \ stated quite definitely- that he did: not consider there was any prospect of a difficulty-dii regard to the. wheat question being surmounted by means )0f a subsidy, and he gave cogent reasons why a subsidy was impracticable; Subsequently he (Air Poison) made b statement to that effect at the Cohf ferenco of the New Zealand Farmers’Union. V...

Edward Alexander, Director of ilip Canterbury Agricultural College rtfc: Lincoln, said lie was firmly convinced that- some' method of protection L Apr wheat* ’growers' was necessary. Unless a measure of security were ■ giyenj there could be no progress so far as wheat growing was concerned, ’j Hedid not think that a subsidy would'. be satisfactory, as at best it was ; Va. clumsy method. The only wav in which' the industry could he made prosperous' was by a method of stabilisation. ' ' ' •'• ■’ y.

A. W, Smith, Chief Gtader of ' .thq Wheat Growers’ Association, stressed the importance of New Zealand being so far as its supplies of wheat were concerned. He pointed to the difficulties likely to arise . -jf New Zealand depended on Australia for supplies. He favoured the retortion of' the present sliding scaled which gave the grower a feeling of security. (If the Government:,; «decidr qd to pay bounties it would he-rieeoS--sary to sot up an office to carry: _6\it the work, and that would be'h:n>\expensive matter. ' The Committee adjourned untjKthia afternoon, subject to tlie approval’of the House of Representatives;;• '