SHORTAGE OF WHEAT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 121, 24 April 1925, Page 4

SHORTAGE OF WHEAT.

DISCUSSION BY FARMERS.

Per Press Association, WELLINGTON, April 23. Tho Farmers’ Union executive discussed tho prospsetive three milliop bushels wheat shortage, representing 62,500 tons of flour anti 20,00 Q tons of ollals. A large deputation of 116 ur millers waited on the executive and submitted u scheme for solution of the difficulty. Mr Poison said tliero was an area in South Canterbury capable of supplying the whole of the Dominion and it should be used to the full. The time would come when Australia would be unabb to export. People must understmd that if they warned bread they must pay for it. Mr F. R. Larson, on buhalf of the millers. said the causa of the diminution of wheat was chiefly political. “Cheap bread” wus a good political cry, but cheup. bread was no good if there was not a loaf. The Dominion had to go to Canada for wheat during the war and people were pot aware how close they were to having the bread supply cut oft. Tho farmers should be given a paying price for the wheat. The Government should protect them with an embargo against imported wheat and fix a maximum price, and Australian fiour should be subject to a dumping duty of 25s per ton. The millers were not taking advantage of ths position and wero willing to submit their books for examination to a tribunal of reputablo accountants. The general scheme should include. provision for monthly increments and a guarantee that the millers would purchase all the wheat grown before (say) October. He urged the appointment by the Government of "an administrative board to carry out the scheme. Mr W. B. Mathieson suggested granting a bonus until the supply reached a proper level. Mr G. \V. Headley said it was no wonder wheat was not grown when only 6s per bushel was obtainable. The growers had a continual fight with nature anil often got IeBS than 32 bushels per acre. The meeting' appointed a committee representing the Farmers’ Union, the fiour millers, the wheat, growers, tho poultry farmers, the da : ry farmers and grain merchants to wait on the lion. W. Nosworthy. DEPUTATION TO MINISTER. WELLINGTON, April 23. A deputation of the wheatgrowers waited upon the Minister of . Agriculture this afternoon, asking for the imposition of a dumping duty on' the r’einforcement ol the embargo on. the importation of flour. It was slated that one of these measures wus required to enable the furinejs to dispose of their wheat at u payable price ami to induce them to continue growing crops. It was also suggested that dumping from Australia had taken place.

The Hon. \Y. Nosworthy denied that there had been dumping.. If It took place the duty would bo imposed and not before. He stated that, if the- millers pushed the farmers too far, not only the duty on wheat but also the duty on flour would go, and not only wheatgrowifig: but milling would have to go. .Sufficient -wheat should be but was not grown for their requirements. From all parts of the North Island he was receiving telegrams asking for Sollard and bran to be allowed into the dominion.