COST OF FOWL WHEAT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4884, 30 September 1925, Page 4

COST OF FOWL WHEAT.

BURDEN ON POULTRY INDUSTRYACUTE POSITION REACHED. For the past two yeans the poultry farmers of the Dominion have found it difficult to obtain . sufficient (supplies of fowl wheat to keep the industry gonig. Though the subject has been debated at length at conferences, and has been brought before the Government by deputations, the position remains as- acute as ever, and the price of wheat has risen to such a' height that the industry is threatened with extinction. The hatching (season has come round once more, and the poultrymen are deeply concerned as to whether they will be able to obtain supplies for the season ih sufficient quantity and at a reasonable price. Owing to the fact that a lesser area was put down in wheat this year, the prospects for next season are anything but reassuring, and it is contended that unlesjs the Government grants some form of relief it will be found necessary to. import requirements. The poultry farmers complain that they have been left in the hands of the merchants, and today have to pay 9s 6d a bushel for fowl wheat, which is more than has, te be paid for milling quality. They claim that the Government’s policy of endeavouring to assist the wheatgrowers of the Dominion has resulted in less wheat being grown and more scope being given for speculators in wheat. ’

ORIGIN OF THE TROUBLE. The position wasj explained to. a “Dominion" reporter by Mr T. Bruce, f Palmerston North, president of the New Zealand Poultry Associaiton. “The first blow we received,” said Mr Bruce, “was owing to the shortage of wheat grown in New Zealand in the 1923-24 iseason. Owing to. the shortage the Government decided to import wheat both for milling and poultrypurposes, having refused a request from the poultrymen to be allowed tb import their own reqiurements under some system of a license. This wheat was sold by the Government to the merchants at prices ranging from 6s to 6s 9d a bushel, notwithstanding the fact that it was shown by the poultrymen, and substantiated by the merchants through the Press, that they could land their wheat in New Zealand at a cost of 'ss per bushel, which meant that the poultry people were obliged to pay to the Government over £lOO,OOO more for the wheat.. Similar wheat was sold to the millers at prices from 5s 7d to 5s lOd per bushel. IN THE HANDS OF MERCHANTS. “The following season,” proceeded Mr Bruce, “as a result of there ptill having been a shortage, of the 1924-25 crops, notwithstanding' a definite promise to a deputation to the Ministed for Agriculture and the Prime Minister (the late Mr Massey) before any arrangements had been made between millers, wheat-growers, and merchants, that the poultry farmers would receive 2every consideration, the Government has supported and is

actually importing milling wheat under a scheme which entirely overlooks poultrymen’s requirements, this without any duty being paid by the millers, and at a price which is to. range from 6s 8d to 7s- On the othei hand, the poultry farmers, with only sufficient wheat in the Dominion to meet their requirements up to the end of Setpember or early October, and this of a very indifferent quality, have been left in the hnads of the merchants, who, owing to the shortage, have been able to increase the price from time to time, and .at no time have they sold for lesis than the price for milling wheat, and at present are quoting 7s 3d is'Outh, plus about 7d per bushel for sacks. This means ■ that with freight and a fair profit for the merchant, wheat is being quoted in Wellington to-day at from 8s 9d to 9s per bushel. This means approximately 9s 6d a bushel delivered to the producers, all of whom reside from up to 100 miles from the markets. IMPOSSIBLE TO CARRY ON. “Under these circumstances,” continued Mr Bruce, “it is, impossible for the poultry industry to. carry on and increase production, as those interested in it desire. It is considered that the poultry industry, with nothing more than fair treatment, in a few years would become one of the principal primary industries of the Dominion, as .an export trade has been developed, and has been found satisfactory, and importations of eggpulp have been entirely cut out. The importation of egg-pulp during recent years had reached large dimensions. On the other hand, we find flocks are being depleted, many hundreds of poultry farmers have been driven out of business, and plants are lying idle, awaiting some definite aissurance from the Government that their present policy of enforcing a tax which amounts to approximately £75 to £lOO on every poultry farmer per 1000 head of poultry, shall be discontinued. We have been assured that the reasons, for this -duty have been to. protect and assist tire wheat farmers', but the only result has been to create a shortage each year, and compel the poultry farmers to pay higher prices for fowl wheat than hais been paid foi milling quality wheat, this amounting to from Is to Is 6d per bushel. The prospects for next season, owing to a still lesser area being grown, are causing those interested in the poultry 4 industry grave concern, and unless some assurance is given promptly by the Government that this tax will be in some way modified, and that our requirements’will be assured, and arrangements made for these requirements, to be met at the proper time, it will probably be found necessary to import a portion of our requirements at a time when we find the Government urging greater production.

“The present is the hatching seaeon.” proceeded the president of the Mew Zealand Poultry Association, “and sufficient birds ta produce; the public’s requirements, and probably a surplus for export, would be hatched if the Government would simply give an assurance promptly that thisi industry would receive the support we claim it is justly entitled to ; and which need cost the Government nothing in the way of finance. A MISTAKEN POLICY. “The New Zealand Poultry Association,” concluded Mr-Bruce, “has taken

this matter up with the Government, through the Minister for Agriculture. The facts are well-known to members of the House, and to the Department of Industries and Commerce, and have been well ventilated both at the Farmers’ Union and the Poultry Association conferences. All we have been asking for during the past two years, is a fair deal, and it would be interesting to know why this industry hais been asked to pay so much in order .that the. Government might carry out a policy of endeavouring to assist a few who are engaged in wheat growing, and wttiich has resulted in less, wheat being grown each year, and more seipe given for speculators.