PRICE OF WHEAT AND BREAD.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3391, 21 January 1920, Page 7

PRICE OF WHEAT AND BREAD.

\VHI+}AT-GROXVERS’ CONFERENCE.

CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 17.

The Wheat-Growers’ Conrmittee and and the I-lons. Hassey and MacDonald (vß'oard of Trade), met in the after, noon, and -2‘. settlement was arrived at. It ‘was officially announced -that the price for 1919-20 wheat. agreed upon was 7/3, f.0.b., which w'c‘)l-ks out. to the farmers on the average of 7/o'} on the farm, but this year thc principles ‘of difi'el'éntlation for varieties Will apply, and an increase will be given for hunters of pl'o'bably 3d per bushel, and for pearl prob:J.bl_V Gd. This increment, however, applies to only a very weak. proportion of the crop. The qucszion of price for subsequent. year's was left for further consideration.

The cxtr.-‘L price of loaf bread has not been worked out yet, but it is stated that with the extra price of wheat :Igl'ecd to, assuming ‘that the Government disco-ntinuos The subsic_ly to millcrs, the increase of the 41b loaf will bv 2d. I\ll- Massey said the zll'l'allglonxont made was a.fzlil' one to both sides. It only settled the price for one season. The reason for that was that there was 21. difi“cl'encg of opinion on the part of the larger bodies of gl'owers which mot in the nlol'ning', making it inlpo;<~ éible for the smaller conference in the :‘.'f.'tol'l‘looll to -arrive at. :1. decision co\'m'--ing a longer period than the current.

season. Mr David Jones, .\I.P., chairman of the conference, said -the urrang'enlent was a satisfactory one. It was simply flint farmers accepted the inarket price for this season ‘s wheat, which was al'ranged by the Governmen.t recently, and the Governmenf were carrying out /their agreement with the farmers, which was made last year by Mr MacDonald, regarding the 19].!)20 wheat crop. ‘ The outlook is just 21 iitfig better than it wais, Mr I\'lassey.rernal'ked regarding the coal sliortage and the “go-slow” strike.’ He said negotia—iions were going on, and if thg minors or their repl'esentatives would go the length of meeting the representatives of the coal owners, he thought the difi‘iculty would not last long. The trouble occurred regnl'ding representazinn at the conference.

“Not taken in hand yet,” was Mr Massey’s reply to :1. question regard ing Cabinet reconstruction. “It is only right I should consult with Government supportQrs,‘and I have not yet had the ‘opportunity. There are several of the new members that I have only been introduced to. i There is 1'e:1lly no hurry, as the work is going on, but I want to get the ne-\'v men appointed so that they will get well accustomed to their duties before the House meets.” Mr Massey did not say so definitely, but the conclusion was drawn that there might be :1 meeting of Government members before the Samoan trip and an immediate filling of Cabinet vacancies. Glaneiizg at the published criticism of the High Co-mm'issioner’s ioffice staff, Mr Massey remarked to-day: “It can be vimproved, I -thinlc. It is ‘necessary to keep the Commissioner’s l office in touch with -the Dominion.” ; Replying to the request for an out‘line of"an irn-migration. policy he said here is the position we are in so. far

It was our duty in the first place‘ to get soldiers bac. We have got them nearly all back here now. There are a few men still to come, but not :1 groaf many. After that we will take; in hand tho getting back to New: Zealand of the very large number of: New Zealanrlers who went over to do other war sgrvice. I do not think t‘nol'o are less than 3000 of tllenl now. Next to them we take immigrants from England ready .a.ncl’w:-liting for ships, with all al'rangements made anfi passages paid, and I believe they will bg a partiaularly good lot. Many of] them are nominated by people in this counfry and are relatives of New Zealall(lor.<. They are mostly country i)eo- I ple. but are I'eprelsentatives of ,all classes gntl some domostic Sc-1-vants_ That is Hl9-beginning.” _ I