WHEAT SHORTAGE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9789, 12 October 1917, Page 6

WHEAT SHORTAGE

ONLY THREE MONTHS’ SUPPLY SHIPPING DIFFICULTY NOT OVER. One of the leading Christchurch millers had told him, stated tho Hon. D. Buddo, M.P. for Kaiapoi, in Parliament yesterday, that on Satuiday last ho had only one month’s supply of wheat; he had 500 tons of, hour on order and only 300 in stock. Tho hon. member asked the Minister tor Agriculture when wheat would be available, because he felt sure there were other millers in the same position. The Hon. IV. D. S. MacDonald re-, plied that, so far as Australian wheat was concerned, there was no immediate prospect of getting it. The Government was in communication every day with Australia, and had several agents in Sydney and Melbourne. The latest report was that things wore still very unsettled; and, though there was a great deal of talk to the con•ijrary, they had information that t’acy could not get any more wheat from Now South Wales. There was any amount of wheat in New South Wales, but none up to sample, and they would have to go to Melbourne or South Australia for wheat. According to The last census made, there were 836,000 bushels of wheat m tho Dominion and 75.000 tons of flour, or a little over two months’ supply. With tho flour in tho hands of growers and bakers, there would bo three months’ supply in all. He could only assure tho millers and everybody else that they were in constant communication with Melbourne on tho matter. They were informed that tho wharf labourers and other workers had gone back, but the. present difficulty was with the seamen. As soon as ever it was possible however, the Union Steamship Company had promised a ship—probably two ships-—to bring 'vho.it to New Zealand, Mr W. Nosworthy: “What is the actual shortage of wheat in New Zealand on the requirements of the country? The farmers had tried to meet the position by putting m as muen wheat as possible, but we never seem to get at the actual shortage.” it seemed probable, he added, that thoio was going to bo a shortage all ° v< w the world, and they wanted to avoid a shortage in the Dominion another year. , Mr MacDonald stated that the ordinary average supply required in, the Dominion was 61 million bushels. The threshing returns last year were oi millions, maybe a little more, or Tj million bushels short. Mr Nosworthy: “And seed wheat has to come out of that? Mr MacDonald replied that that was go. So far as could be gathered as to the area put in wheat throughout the Dominion, he did not think there would be enough land in crop for the requirements of I the country tor the coming season. Although there might ho a shortage of 25,000 to 30,000 acres, there was a prospect that there w°md be an increased yield of probably w bushels per acre, and that might put things right. Mr Nosworthy: “If you don t get a wet .harvest.”. . ~ Mr MacDonald: “That is the only salvation. If we were reduced to bushels per acre again, then there will he a shortage. There is every prospect of plenty of wheat being available in Australia for the next near or two.” Mr Nosworthy; “If we can get It here.”