WHEAT SUPPLY

Wairarapa Age, 23 March 1920, Page 5

WHEAT SUPPLY

APPEAL FROM. GOVERNMENT. (By Telegraph—l*ress Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. In a statement made to-night the Hon. Mr Nosworthy said that his official estimate of the land, sown in wheat this year was 142,060 acres, which was the lowest since 1876, and with the estimated yield of twentynine bushels per acre, this would produce only 4,145,810 bushels. I This yield would be insufficient for the requirements of the Dominion, but with about 2,000,000 bushels of Australian wheat on hand, it was hoped, with the small amount carried over from last harvest, that the supply for ,the nest twelve months would be sufficient to meet the internal demands. "On behalf of the 'Government I wish to make a wry strong appeal to the farmers to grow as much wheat as they possibly can this year, in order that sufficient will be produced for the Dominion's requirements, and thus avoid , the necessity of going to Australia Or elsewhere for supplies. I trust that the farmers, when they realise the position, will respond to the appeal of "the Government, and i thus ensure that New Zealand will be self-supporting in this very essential commodity. To my. mind it is a very serious state of things when a young country such as this with a little over 1,000,000 people is unable to satisfy its own wants as far as wheat is concerned," said the Minister.