THE PRICE OF WHEAT.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 April 1918, Page 2

THE PRICE OF WHEAT.

THE ML\lM'l'/.'f CTEIV By Telegraph.—Preps Association. Christclmrch, Tuesday. Members .of the Canterbury branches of the Farmers' Union met the Minister for Agriculture in conference to-day regarding the price to be fixed bv the Government for wheat. It was announced during the afternoon that as a result the Hon. W. D. S- MacDonaid had agreed to give the farmers <is 4d per bushel as a guaranteed minimum for next season's wheat crop, in addition to ■which the market is to be left entirely open. The Minister, speaking to a reporter, said the whole of the farmers at the conference, once an agreement was come to, had expressed their desire to help in every way to see that as much wheat as possible should be put in for the coming season. He felt confident, now the matter was finally agreed upon, that the whole of the farmers would try to rise to the occasion. For the requirements of the country it was very important that a reasonable quantity of wheat should be grown in the country. He fl:d not anticipate, even at the new price, that sufficient would be grown for home requirements, but the bulk would be. Questioned regarding the position of the millers next year, the Minister said some arrangement wfluld have to be come to regarding the distribution of the Wheat. lie took it that the millers would have the option of buying up to their pwn requirements. The matter would hav;e to be thought out. They would be free to buy from the farmers, and the price they would pay would be influenced largely toy the ajmoujit of wheat grown. Mr. D- Jones, president of the Farmers' Union, said the fanners now had a minimum without a maximum- The Government had also agreed, for the future protection of wheat growers in New Zealand, to consider the question of placing New Zealand and Australian tariffs with rfegard to wheat and flour on the same level