The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. THURSDAY, SEPT. 8, 1887.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2366, 8 September 1887, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 8, 1887.

Kquh! and exact justice to all men, O! whatsoever stale or persuasion, religious or political.

Wk make no apology to our general readers for again returning to the subject of wheat-growing in Waikato, rendered necessary by certain correspondence which has appeared in recent issues. Endeavours have been made to discourage the present movement amongst our farmers to prosecute with vigour the growth of this cereal at the present time. One correspondent asked was it not probable that disappointment might follow the sowing of too large, a breadth of wheat, in \Vaikato 1 and (referring to i\'lr Firth’s statement made some months ago as to what ipiantity of whip' Tuscan spring wheat that gentleman would bo prepared to take from Waikato growers next season), understated it as being cither 50,000 sacks or 150,000 bushels. Now, one quantity was alone mentioned by Mr Firth, as published in this paper on several occasions, and that was half-a-millkm (500,000) bushels. Mr Lamb subsequently came forward with the statement that he, too, was prepared to deal largely with the Waikato grower, so that between the two there would be a market for far more wheat than, with all the energy that we are glad to see has boon shown by Waikato farmers in the matter, is likely to be. grown by them. If Mr Firth were the only purchaser, and purchased only onehalf tho quantity he spoke of, it would require that ten thousand acres should be sown with wheat, yielding '25 bushels per acre, to supply him alone.

But the Waikato settler does not need to look altogether to the Auckland millers for a sale for bis wheat. There are four local mills in Waikato, and there is a large consumption of (lour in the district. From information gathered from a reliable source, since the publication of the letter referred to, we find that the production of flour by the Waikato local mills may be set down as about GOO tons in the year, one month with another, and that the quantity of flour imported into Waikato is about 40 tons per month, making tho year’s consumption close upon 1100 tons of flour.

Now, to produce this quantity of (lour it will require fully fifty thousand bushels of wheat or the produce of 2000 acres. This is of itself a large item, and if Waikato consumers would only evince a little patriotism and use flour of local brands, they would benefit themselves, as consumers, and their fellow settlers as producers, saving the latter the cost of freight in sending their wheat to Auckland, and themselves the cost of the freight up on the Auckland (lour, to say nothing of keeping a largo quantity of sharps and bran in the district which has otherwise to be imported.

The truth is that the market for wheat opened up to the Waikato farmer by the recent improvements in Auckland mills, which will enable Mr Firth and others to use the white Tuscan spring wheat to a very much larger extent than they were heretofore able to do, is practically unlimited. Our farmers will, therefore, do well to make the most they can of the present month to got as largo a breadth sown with wheat as they can with due regard to the thorough preparation of the land, For wheat there is always a certain sale all the world over, and local consumption does not regulate the price. It has a standard value, the difference of local value being the cost of transmission to a market only, and wheat is the one thing to which the farmer can look for a sure and certain money return.

And this brings ns to the second letter referred to. The writer takes a very narrow view of the case. Ife argues that the fanner is foolishly going into the growth of wheat without an assured price at harvest being guaranteed him—that the Auckland millers are simply leading him on to go largely into wheat cultivation, in order to take advantage of a large supply, and obtain it at their own price, which will barely pay the farmer’s expenses; and instances ourexp'ericuces of the doings of the Freezing Company and Cooperative Association as what we may look for in turn from the Auckland millers. The case is not analogous. A. corporate body, it lias been said, has “ neither a body to be kicked ; nor a soul to be damned,” but promises made by an honorable man of well-known character and business integrity are not to bo put on a par with tho promises or acts of snob institutions ns those referred to by " Cockatoo.” No man could bo expected to quote a price now for wheat to be purchased after next harvest, and if farmers wait for an assured price to be quoted for thoir produce, yet unplaced, they may give up farming, altogether. What Mr Firth did say was that, having made certain alterations to his milling machinery, ho was prepared to purchase 500,000 bushels of similar white Tuscan wheat to that shown to him by Mr Joseph Gane and others, and that as to price ho had no reason to believe that it would be lower next season than it bad been this. Other millers have expressed their intention of becoming large .purchasers, and considering, as wo have said,- that in tho case of wheat tho grower does not depend on the local market only, Waikato farmers bavo, we maintain, a reasonaide prospect of a ready sale, and a fair price for their wheat. There is no staff they can lean upon more safely than that of wheat growing, .What the price may ,bo next yoar, whether 4s 6d or : 3s Gd per bushel, of this they may rest certain, that

tho more wheat they have to soli the greater will be their money return for tho year, and that whether it bo the latter price, or even a lower one, it will bo better that they should earn it for the labour of their teams and their families, than that the one and the other should be idle. For these reasons, we say, let our fanners sow with wheat the last acre they can properly prepare for that crop while there is yet time'to do so. Individually and collectively the people of Waikato will feel the benefit of such a course in a few months. It is the farmer’s best, and,, as far as we can see, under present circumstances, his only chance to retrieve his position, and to place farming in Waikato on a firm and prosperous basis.