WHEAT EVIDENCE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 760, 5 September 1929, Page 10

WHEAT EVIDENCE

POULTRYMEN CONDEMN DUTIES FARMER GIVES SUPPORT Press Association WELLINGTON, Today. j Continuing his evidence before the Wheat Committee, Mr. J. J. Kuddeuclau, a Waimate farmer, told the chairman he believed that if ttie sliding j scale were reduced to any degree ; there would be less wheat grown in New Zealand. Explaining his decision j not to grow wheat, Mr. Ruddeuclau said he had anticipated that the risk j of loss on sheep was less than the . risk on wheat. He did not know : early enough that the sliding duties were to be retained and it was no good growing wheat unless it was pos- j sible to make a job of it. in his opinion the wheat-growing country of Canterbury, If devoted to j sheep, would carry about li ewes to | the acre. It would be disastrous to Canterbury if wheat were not grown as it would mean depreciation of land values.

Mr. G. S. Bates, president of the New Zealand Poultry Association, said the poultry industry provided employment for many thousands of people, but today they found themselves up against great difficulties on account of the wheat duties. Owing to the price of wheat it was impossible to make both ends meet. Mr. P. Jennings also gave evidence on behalf of the poultrymen and Dr. E. P. Neale, on behalf of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, intimated that chamber approved any stabilisation in the price of wheat and flour on economic grounds.