WHEAT SHORTAGE PREDICTED.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 July 1918, Page 5

WHEAT SHORTAGE PREDICTED.

discussion; at timaru. A -■ Timaru, July fi. At a meeting of the Timaru Parmer Union, Mr. John Talbot said that then , was a shortage of from one to one and a-lialf million bushels of wheat this year. It is understood that the Government had bought a million bushels in Australia, but it would be difficult to get it over. The position pitobalbly would be worse nert year, as the area sown and to bo sown was from 30 to 40 per cent, less, and if this harvest were as bad as ; the last the position would be very serl ous. There might be three millions/ short. The spring sowing could nolf make up the present shortage in the area. Sir James Allen's instructions to the Military Appeal Boards were not * being carried out, as the last men were r in some cases being taken from their t farms. ; J Other members condemned the pur- Sis chasing of wheat in Australia at higher ''l cost than that paid to New Zealandeia, " especially as Australian labor was not ( conscripted, > It was resolved unanimously to call,' the Minister's attention to the fact that the boards are sending away some, of the ■'£ last men, and also to' urge the farmers >« to grow as much wheat as possible.