Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1914

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 89, 15 December 1914, Page 4

Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1914

(With which is incorporated The Taihapo Post 'J.nd Wuimarino News.)

THE EMPIRE’S FOOD SUPPLY If one follows tlie vagaries of statisticians, not only in New Zealand but also throughout Australia, lie must be cognisant of the chain of inconsistency that is presented. In fact, there have been so many conflicting reports and estimates in connection with present and forthcoming wheat harvests as to render it practically impossible, to form anything like an approximate idea of how the world supply really stands. As evidencing the importance of the ■national supply at this juncture, it is only necessary to draw attention to the persistency with which leading journals of the world arc showing their concern respecting it. The London Times rarely leaves the subject for many days together; in October it reported very favourably: the British crop being estimated at 95.4, and oats at 86.2. , Then, as indicating the almost boundless resources of Russia, it is only necessary ;to mention that, at that time, the peasants in the chief wheat-grow-ing areas were delivering no less than 2,500 tons daily. As a matter of fact, owing to the abundant crops, wheat is cheaper there than ever it was. Of course, there is not any absolute certainty that this wheat will find its way to the allies’ fighting ground on the other side of Europe, for the highways between Russia’s wheatgrowing areas and, say, Great Britain may not always remain open—for, in reality, they are 1 partially blocked at the present time. Turkey’s decision to enter hostilities on the side of Germany will, for a time at least, mean that very little wheat will get out via Black Sea ports. Therefore, while it is more than likely that the outcry about shortage of wheat is the result of a desire to practice some form of exploitation it is impera-. tive for absolute safety, and to prevent having a shortage, even t r this side of the world, that f i mors should do all they can u> prevent What wmiM vonIK- h, «

can just as effectively fight them at home by growing the food for those that arc actually fighting. This is no scare question, it is absolute matter of fact, and those of ns who are apt to think that the Empire is alright without our help may one day pay the penalty for such indifference, which in a fight ing man is rightly termed cowardice. All farmers, sheepfarmers as well as purely agriculturalists, should realise that they have the growth of the food of the Empire in their hands, and they should not prove untrue to their trust in the time of their country’s direst straits. A glorious wool-season has-been assured to sheepfarmers by the demands resulting from war, and realising this they should, wherever they have a few hundred acres of land that is .suitable, put it down into Autumn wheat or have the land in readiness for a spring sown crop. The orders already placed by the Imperial Authorities for woollen goods will ensure high wool values for some time to conic ; everything in the way of wool is saleable at highly profitable prices British woollen mills are all working at full capacity, and are still unable to meet requirements of the Army, and, as this condition is likely to continue for an indefinite time, sheepfarmers have nothing to* trouble them. Indeed, they could well afford—many of them —to materially assist the Empire in fighting the battles necessary for their existence by taking to the plough rather more than is usual and put a fair area into grain crops.