WHEAT STOCKS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8215, 12 August 1915, Page 8

WHEAT STOCKS.

SUFFICIENT FOR ALL REQUIREMENTS.

STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER

(J?vom Our Wellington Correspondent)

"A report that I havo received from the Registrar General in connection with the census of wheat stocks satisfies mo that there is sufficient wheat in the country at the present time to provide for all requirements until the new crop comes in, unless the harvest •happens to bo a. very late one," said the Prime Minister (Right Hon. W. F. Massey) last evening. "In saying -that, I realiso that we must hare- a margin. Wo cannot finish the old wheat on one day and start using the aiew wheat the next-clay without grave inconvenience resulting. That is the position we nearly reached last season, in spite of the importation of. wheat by the Government, the danger being averted only by 100,000 bushels that we got from New South Wales. There has been a drop in the prices of wheat and flour in the Dominion within the last few days," added Mr Massey. "The movement is in sympathy with the fall in prices in Europe and America, and I presumo that it has boon felt all oter ,the world. ,Crops in America and elsewhere' jiave^'been good, and the outlook •generally'-is-'novr much improved. The Government has now had two tests, made of the wheat supplies. The' threshing mill returns in April gave us one test, and three months later we liad tho wheat census. I intend to give instructions for tho taking of another wheat census in October, so that there niay bo no doubt about the sufficiency of the supplies. Wo shall be able to check tho results by the figures showinn; consumption. My impression is that we b.nve got enough wheat."