WHEAT FAMINE FEARED.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2130, 20 May 1920, Page 4

WHEAT FAMINE FEARED.

AUSTRALIA’S DILEMMA. EXISTING STOCKS ALL SOLD. NO RESERVE AGAINST NEXT CROP. It is hill’d to believe, hut true, that if the next Australian wheat harvest is at all below normal this country will be faced with a wheat famine. The trouble, again, is “muddling Government control” (says the Auckland Herald’s Sydney correspondent). A year or two ago Australia was literally groaning under its enormous accumulations of wheat; next year it may have to import wheat. There is an abundance of wheat, in the country, but it has all been sold, and ships from hungry Europe are loading the grain in every port. A year ago Air Hughes was still selling wheat, and claiming, credit for his foresight and perspicacity. Britain bought practically all he offered from the Australian pool. The voices of far-seeing urged caution, bat Mr Hughes ignored them. To-day the same men are

asking Mr Hughes, to observe that Argentine is selling her wheat at more than 13s a bushel. Mr Hughes, is still ignoring them. Mr Hughes, eager to get rid of the mouldering wheat, anxious that Australia should get the benefit of every penny offering for her produce, made a miscalculation, and oversold, gamilling on a good harvest-in .1919-20 and 1920-21, providing at least for Australia’s home requirements. Unfortunately the last harvest was a failure, and did not provide half the normal requirements of the Commonwealth. Already there is a movement afoot to ask Britain to allow a large quantity of the sold but unshipped wheat to remain in the country until (he prospects of the next harvest are ascertained. This will be difficult to arrange, however, as freights have been booked for months ahead.

Meanwhile New South Wales and Victoria are squabbling. The Now South Wales stocks ran out months ago, and New South Wales is get-

ting from Victoria all the wheat she requires for home consumption. Now Victoria is - running short, and the Victorian millers, who do not waul to close doWn, arc agitating to have the Victorian wheat gristed in Victoria and sent to New South Wales as lloflr. This will keep the Victorian mills busy, but will close up the New South Wales mills, and New South Wales, of course, is fighting the proposal.