THE WHEAT QUESTION.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 4 September 1917, Page 3

THE WHEAT QUESTION.

MILLS ARE CLOSING DOWN. MORE WHEAT URGENTLY NEEDED. Mr. E. Newman, M.P., for Rangitikei, quoted in the ouse of Representatives yesterday a statement by Sir Janies Allen (Minister for Defence) that the South Island farmers had put in sufficient wheat for the Dominion’s requirements, and asked the Minister for Agriculture whether, in view of the fact and of the large crop likejy to be available in Australia, he wmuld advise the North Island farmers to put in green feed for the autumn in place of wheat. The Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald, stated that all the information he had showed that 170,000 acres had been put into wheat in the South Island, and it was possible that another 50,000 would be put in during the spring. The Government were not urging and had not urged, any farmers to put in wheat unless they were satisfied, that the land would grow a payable quantity of wheat; but uothing had occurred to alter his opinion one iota that the farmers should be urged to grow wheat wherever possible. a He knew there was likely to be a big crop in Australia, but in New Zealand it did enough for next year’s requirements. He had had letters saying that owing to the very unfavourable weather some farmers had not been able to put in wheat; others said that they had to turn their stock in on the wheat. Several mills, were going to be closed down in Auckland, Dunedin, and other places within the next four or five days. It seemed evident that for the next three or four weeks they would not be able to get wheat from Australia. He thought, therefore, that they should grow enough wheat for their own requirements in New Zealand, so long as the land was suitable. But the farmers should not, of course, waste land and labour by trying to grow wheat on unsuitable land. Mr. Anstey (Waitaki): “What is the date of your last report?” ’ Mr. MacDonald: “The 13th of this month. ” Mr. Anstey: “Oh, then, they will have been putting in more wheat. ’ ’