THE WHEAT SHORTAGE.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 December 1916, Page 6

THE WHEAT SHORTAGE.

NEED I'OR PROMPT GOVERNMENT ACTION. Tlie wheat problem is one tliat is exercising flour millers and those interested in the flour industry. It is estimated that there will be .1 shortage of 1,000,000 bushels in New Zealand's wheat crop this year, and as New Zealand's eonsumption is estimated to be at the rate of half-a-million bushels per month, if means that two months' supply of wheat 'for our consumption must be obtained from elsewhere. Mr. .1. Little, of Little and Co., flourmillers. Sentry Hill, in conversation with a representative of this paper, stated that ti.e matter is serious, and cne that the Government should take in hand ef onee. Anything that may bo done in the way of asking farmer* to confer with the object of grmring c.vtr.i wlio.it would not have any effect 011 the position until February or March, i'.tl*. ]Te considered that the Government fl-.0i.-W. as has been done at Home, permit the use of standard flour. This would enable from five to six per cent, more flour to be produced from the wheat grown here, whjch would accordingly go that much further. The Government, too, should not wait until the shortage makes itself actually felt, but should at once endeavor to obtain a million bushels or so of Australian wheat from the Imperial, Government, which has purchased Australia's supply, and when the difficulty did arise it could be divided by the Government among the millers and mi\-ed with New Zealand wheat. It was preferable that wheat should be purchased and not flour, as by obtaining the raw material the pollard and bran would be available for feeding pigs, poultry, etc. A'certain supply of wheat wtft much more important to the Dominion than was dairy produce. The deficiency, he thought, was due to the fact that last year manj of the crops had proved unpayable, and this with the shortage of labor had resulted in a considerable diminution in the area sown. Government statistics showed that only IS',"),0(H) acres had been sown, as against 2.10,000 the previous year. The average crop could lie taken at 2S bushels per acre, but of this three bushels had to be deducted for seed, and there was also a percentage that was not suitable for milling purposes. Good wheat could be grown in Taranaki, lie stated, provided we got a gcocl season, and flour made of one-third Taranaki and two-thirds Canterbury wheat was equal to the best in New Zealand. This was borne out by bakers, and proof was afforded by the fac-t that his firm had kept going for years, day after day, and were still kept busy, despite keen' competition. Government statistics estimated that Taranaki would produce 10,000 bushels this year, but he thought that very much over-estimated the yield, and if the estimates for the rest of the Dominion were 011 such a high basis, he would that there would be more than the deficiency stated. The food problem was a very serious one. England, France and Russia bad bought the small American surplus, and prices were also going' up there.