SHORTAGE OF OATS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 244, 24 March 1915, Page 7

SHORTAGE OF OATS.

THE EXPORT PROHIBITION.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Invercnrgill, Yesterday

A meeting convened by the Farmers' Union discussed the Government's proposals to prohibit the exportation of oats and chaff.

Mr Wm. Forde, who presided, said he thought that the question was of very great interest to Southland. The main point was the alleged shortage of three million bushels and how it had been arrived at. He bad been making inquiries and the opinion generally expressed was that the estimates were not correct. Many farmers told him that they had rot been asked to furnish estimates. Others said when the request was made it wa« too early in the season to arrive at an. accurate conclusion. In a season like! the present one had been it had been a most difficult matter to furnish a :c----liable estimate. When figures had been obtained by the Agricultural Department if there was shortage of three million bushels then there was no grout grievance to ventilate. Many farmers maintained that in regard to the figures for Southland they •were not a fair estimate. Most of the farmers had sown late in the spring in response to the appeal made by the I'remier, and those crops in particular appeared at one time to be in a very bad state, but they had since made great progress and would turn out 50 per cent better than was at one time expected of them. Mr W. S. Fleming .said the Oovernment would have a pretty good idea of the acreage under crop and the usual returns would come very near to the mark. He was quite sure that there were less oats in Southland than usual, and there was very little old oats in the country. Last year no oats were exported. The oat crops in the north had been almost a failure, and he could quite understand that there was going to Ir? a shortage. Statements went round the country of oats averaging 80 bushels.to the acre, but they knew that average* were overstated. They all had a weakness for making the bctft of things.

Tlic chairman: "Is 25 bushels to the acre a fair estimate?" Mr Fleming: "No. That is an underestimate." Mr Patterson: "If the estimate was double it would be about right." Mr John McQueen said they would not grow grain there if their outlet was closed. If the Government was going to interfere with the farmers' business farmers would give up grain growing and try something else. Why not leave the farmer alone so that he might recoup the losses made in years passed? If farmers were not to be allowed to proceed on business lines and to deal in the market in which they could get the biggest price then he for one would not grow oats. Another speaker said if the Government was prepared to give the farmer the same price for his oats as he would receive if he exported them then there was no fault to find.

Mr Fleming said if Southland was prohibited from exporting it would be a good thing for Southland. If the estimate was correct Southland should not be allowed to export. A few months hence there would be a demand from the north and farmers would be selling in a few months at a better price than was offering now. It would not be practical to export oats if there was a shortage, and have perhaps to pay Hs to 10s per bushel to bring them back into the country.

A speaker inquired if it would not be better to place an export tax of 3d per bushel on oats, which would steady the price a bit.

After further discussion it was moved "that this meeting, representing a large number of farmers, recommend* the Government to fix the price of oats." The Board of Agriculture should do ih' same as they had done with meat. The Government should buy the oats and do what they liked with' them. If there was a shortage it was of no use farmers battling against the Government's proposal, but they should try to get as fair a price as they could.

Mr Schmidt .seconded the motion, and said it was the only fair way of dealing with the question. If there was a shortage farmers were prepared to meet the Government, but the Government should fix the price 'and not leave it to speculators to do so.

Mr McQueen moved: "That this meeting entirely disapproves of the Government's action in prohibiting the export of produce. That it is an unwarrantable interference with farmers in the carrying out of their business, as it will tend to discourage the growing of oats and create a worse evil than exists now." He said they should merely pass the motion, and sit tight in the meantime. Mr Patterson seconded the motion.

Mr Trotter suggested that the first' part of the motion be omitted as H was a sort of slur on the Government, Voices: '%>. no." A voice: "That's what they need—a slur."

The chairman said that the price of oats liad not come back since the pro. c'amation had been issued. A voice: "The price has gone back 3d." The secretary: "Can you prove that' I can prove that it has not gone back. 1 sold oats at from 4s to 4s 2d a month ago and this week I -sold at 4s 3d and 4s 4d."

After some further desultory discussion the first motion was withdrawn and Mr McQueen's resolution was cari;cd, only three voting again.it it.