THE MERITS OF SOUTHLAND-GROWN WHEAT.

Southland Times, Issue 18855, 22 June 1920, Page 2

THE MERITS OF SOUTHLAND-GROWN WHEAT.

To the Editor. Sir, —In your issue of Saturday, the 19th, Mr Macpherson, of the Government Wheat Trade Committee, is reported as stating that;— “It was realised that Southland might be handicapped by climatic conditions and it was said that the wheat grown in the province was somewhat unsuitable for milling purposes because of its softness, but Southland farmers might rest assured that a market would be found for their wheat.” Now, we hold that this conveys an impression regarding the quality of Southlandgrown wheat, which is quite contrary to actual fact. We have seen seasons when three-fourths of Southland’s total requirements of best quality milling wheat has been grown in the districts of Southland and Wallace and this wheat has been of just as good quality, better in fact in many cases, owing to the better quality of the terrene, than wheat grown in Canterbury. We grant that from some of the coastal country, that is, the country due east of Invercargill, some of the samples may show a greater percentage of moisture, but it must be borne in mind, that such places as Dipton and Riversdale are really on the same latitude as Dunedin and there are large portions of the two counties named which lie north of Dunedin and enjoy just as fine climatic conditions as many portions of the wheat growing areas of North Otago. In this respect we have portions of Southland which might just as aptly be designated North Southland as that part of Otago which is known as North Otago. In the days when wheat growing was quite a lucrative operation, because the price was payable in relation to the prices for other farm products, we have purchased many lines of 2000 sacks and upwards from the Otautau, Dipton, and Waimea districts and all this wheat was of the primest milling

quality, equal to anything we were importing from Canterbury. To-day a well-known farmer from the Waimea reminded us of the time when he regularly submitted his outturn of two thousand sacks and more of the very best milling wheat from year to year, while another well remembered figure from that district on several occasions grew up to ten thousand four bushel sacks of splendid milling wheat. Let us dispel this everlasting notion that Southland is a poor miserable locality where everything and everyone suffers from adverse climatic conditions. So far as wheat is concerned we can assert this year that the average quality of the grain grown south of latitude 45-50, was actually superior to the average grain we have received from anywhere north of this latitude. So far as production of wheat in New Zealand is concerned it is an established axiom that the greatest factor in production is price and whenever our growers are assured of a price relative to that of other products, supplies will be forthcoming and whatever this price may be it is going to pay the country better in the long run to grow its own products rather than send the money elsewhere for them.—l am, etc., W. H. P. FLEMING.