THE WHEAT CROPS.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 January 1921, Page 5

THE WHEAT CROPS.

FIXING THE FUTURE MINISTER FAVORS FREE MARKED, PROTECTIVE DUTY SUGGESTED, j By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, Last Night. . The Hon. W. Nos worthy, Minister of Agriculture, met representative wheatgrowers from Canterbury, Otago, and Southland to-day with the object of adjusting wheat prices for the present season and deciding upon the policy for the 1921-22 season. Mr. G. W. Leadley presided. Mr. J. Talbot (Timaru) said that the attitude of the growers depended large* ly on the Government’s position. The question was in regard to dealing with the crop about to be harvested and with the 1921-22 crop, and the latter was the more important of the two. He gathered from a letter written by the Minister that it was contemplated to abandon Government control and to have a free market. If that policy was followed he was afraid that very little wheat would be grown. It was a delusion to think that a high duty could be placed on wheat, as pressure would be brought on the Government not to put on the duty. In the past a duty on wheat had been a delusion and a snare. Government control was' not generally wished for, but unless the Government gave some kind of guarantee wheat growing largely would be a thing of the past. He suggested that the present guarantee should be continued, and if that was done there would not be the slightest risk of over production. It was very desirable that New Zealand should produce sufficient wheat for its own use. * The best plan was for the growers to meet after the conference and consider any proposal the Government might make.

The Minister said that the Government had kept its promises to the growers in regard to both the present crop and the 1921*22 crop; the Government had not departed, one iota from the arrangements. JJe was there to'be absolutely straight and frank and would be €O. He had{ undertaken to put through the duty equal to the duty imposed by Australia against New Zealand. He Ha/l tried to get it through, but there had been opposition He would still do his best, again to get a duty equal to the Australian duty, get a free market for gfowers, and do away with Government control. If there hail been a surplus of jjvheat this year it would have been kept in the country, but the growers would have been paid the prices for. There was nothing unfair in thafo If the New Zealand growers dicr not grow sufficient wheat the country would be up against a, serious position, as the public should not be dependent on shipping and pay hundreds of thousands for what could be produced in the and he would . undertake that if an arrangement was I carried out with the Government a permanent protective duty could be imposed. Jle believed in free markets. The law of supply and demand governed everything, and wished to get back to a protective policy. He could not state the maximum prices yet, because he did ! not know what the prices in Australia would be. On the motion of Mr. J. C. N. Grigg (Longbeaoii) the following committee was appointed to meet the Minister next month and adjust the p.rice of this season’s wheat:—J. Stevenson (North Canterbury), H. F Nicoll (Middle Canterbury),' T. Trotter (South Canterbury), J. A. McPherson (Otago). Representatives of Southland and the North Island are to be appointed later. \ motion that the present system of Government control should ,be continued for the 1921-22 crop, provided a satisfactory minimum price was guaranteed, was lost by 28 votes to 19.