Government Wheat.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 21 September 1917, Page 3

Government Wheat.

Next Season's Harvest.

The State Purchase.

An Order-in-Council relating to the sale of wheat to the New Zealand Government is published in a Gazette Extraordinary. It provides that, except with the permission of the Board of Trade, it shall not be lawful to purchase, or agree or offer to purchase, whether as principal, agent, or otherwise, any wheat grown during the 1917-18 season. Nothing in the regulations will apply to .any retail purchase of- any quantity not exceeding 50 bushels. In granting a permit, the Board of Trade may impose such terms and conditions as to the purchase and the disposition of the wheat a* it thinks advisable for the due regulation of the maintenance of industries essential for the public welfare. Any such permit may be granted or refused in the absolute discretion of the board, and the' Board of Trade's permit shall be revocable at the will of the board.

Notice is also given in the Gazette that the Government is prepared to purchase wheat of the 1917-18 season in any quantities at 5s lOd per bushel f.o.b. at the nearest port. Apparently by the above regulations, the Government does not intend actually to handle the wheat, but to issue permits to millers to purchase stated quantities at 5s lOd per bushel. The Board of Trade recently estimated that 6d per bushel would be added to the cost if the Government actually took delivery of the train. Difficulties, however, may ari3u if the harvest is a particularly good one, for if grain is plentiful, millers, with the ruling price assured, are not likely to purchase early in the season for their whole requirements. Many farmers would thus be compelled to wait for some time before disposing of their wheat. It is obvious, however, thßt ■if there should be a decided surplus, the Government will have to take over the delivery of this.

A good deal of discontent is at present being expressed owing to the price being 5s lOd a bushel for all varieties. Tusccn is the more prolific yielder, whilst both the velvet and Hunter varieties, although usually giving smaller returns, have hitherto commanded higher prices than Tuscan ow - ing to the additional strength and the colour of the flour for bread purposeH. In fact, many millers state that velvet and Hunter wheats have not been grown in sufficient quantities in recent years to fulfil requirements. It is ob\ ious, therefore, that those who have sown these varieties this year, reckoning on values to compensate for the expected lower yields, will have cause for dissatisfaction. In any case, it is bound to have some influence on I the acreage sown the following season.