The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 1889. THE PRICE OF GRAIN.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1864, 12 March 1889, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 1889. THE PRICE OF GRAIN.

In our last issue we warned farmers not to be in a hurry to dispose of their wheat unless they can get a good price for, it. We also stated that we believed grain buyers were trying to keep down the price so that they might be able to buy cheaply before the rise in prices came on. Our suspicions have been to some extent confirmed by what has appeared in the Christchurch papers. Mr Q-. G. Stead, a very large grain buyer of Christchurch, has written to the Lyttelton Times to show that the estimates of the statistician of New South Wales are altogether erroneous, and that any one who buys wheat on the strength of such reports will burn his fingers. The Christchurch Press has also gone to great trouble to get from America what it will cost Californians to land wheat in Australia, and finds it can easily be done for 4a 6d per bushel. Let it be remembered that Mr Peter Cunningham, another large grain buyer, is, if not managing director, one of the leading lights of the Press, and consequently anything that paper may say is not to be relied upon. The Lyttelton Times, notwithstanding the efforts pub forth by Mr Stead, came exactly to the same conclusion as we have, and has advised farmers not to be in a hurry to sell. In our opinion 4s per bushel is the least they may expect now, and they ought not to sell for much less. We have no desire to see grain rise to famine prices, but we would like to see the producer get fair value for it. Our advice is not to sell yet, if possible, unless they can get 4s per bushel for it. If they can get that figure, by all means let them let it go as soon as possible. It is a very good price and it pays them well, and if it happens that buyers make a profit out of it afterwards it does not matter to them.

STARTLING NEWS.

The cablegram relating to Samoa is startling. It says that a paper published in the city of Breslau states that the German warship at Samoa bombarded Mataafa’s camp, and that the American warship fired on her after having vainly protested against the outrage. The Germans then let loose a torpedo boat, which destroyed the American vessel, killing all hands. The question is, How did the Breslau paper get this information sooner than it reached any other part of the world? supposing official information had been sent to Germany, the news would without doubt have appeared in the Berlin Official Press before any other

paper would get it. Broalau is a city in Silecia, a long distance from Berlin, and papers there would not be the first to get it. Then there is frequent communication between the Australian Colonies and Samoa, but no such information has yet come to hand, and from information received we believe that four Araarican man-of-war ships ought to be in Samoa at present. Apparently the news from Breslau is not to be relied upon, and yet it is most extraordinary that any newspaper would dare to publish such a report without having some grounds for it. There is this too to be considered. The last news wo received from Samoa stated that the. Germans had declared war against Mataafa. They had previously bombarded his camp, but he had removed inland, and the only injury they did was to destroy some property. A large number of the German man-of-war’s men lauded, and pursued Mataafa, but they were repulsed with great loss. If it is true that an American warship has been destroyed with all hands we shall hear more of it before long. We cannot believe that Germany could be so mad as to force on a war with America for the sake of the trifling interests she has in Samoa <