WHEAT DELIVERIES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9651, 7 July 1919, Page 5

WHEAT DELIVERIES

FARMERS' PROTEST,

: TIMARU, July;7.;^ A meeting of the Timaru Branch, of the Farmers' Union was held on Saturday. Present: Messrs A. G. Hart., president (in the chair), W. J. Bassett, P. R .Talbot, B. Evans, C. L. GrbelL and W. F. Bennett.

Mr J. Paterson, chairman of the St. Andrews branch of the \jnion 5 attended the meeting, at the request of the chairman, to give some information ia regard to grain.

Mr Paterson referred to the necessity for the Government taking delivery of farmers' wheat, especially^ the ! Tuscan varieties. One agent had told him that he had 15,000 sacks held up. The Government grader would only take thin-skinned prime milling wheat, and the standard had been fixed higher than in an ordinary season. The weight per bushel had been raised from 60 to 621bs, and th© standard for Tuscan was higher than for other varieties. He had been shown, a letter by one agent telling him to entirely bar Red Marvel aad Dreadnought wheats. That was a breach of faith on,-the part of the Government. Farmers; had -been. given 'a 'guarantee that the Government would ' buy all good milling wheat, and now the Government were evading their guarantee by fixing a standard for milling wheat higher than the ordinary standard. The chairman said there was no doubt but that the Government, had committed a breach of faith- in. the ■matter. : .■ - - . ■

Mr Bennett said that his wheat went 621bs to the bushel, but tie grader had classed about half of it &b fowl wheat, and about half as second-grade milling. Yet his neighbour's wheat, which was exactly the same quality as his, had all been taken as prime* mill-

Mr Paterson said it was unreasonable to fix different standards for different varieties of wheat. ■' t ~

Mr Orbell said £he guarantee wa 3 for f.a.q. wheat, and the Union should protest against the action of the Government is failing to give ■effect 'to their guarantee. Ho had said a year ago that farmers should not grow any wheat, and it was evident now''that they should not have bothered v/ith it. They were "had" every time they had anything to do with the Government. Mr Talbot said it would be interesting to know what became *of all the wheat that was being classed and sold aa fowl wheat. (Ironical laughter.) On the motion of' Messrs Btkßsettand Orbell a motion .of protest against the failure of the Government to tarry out the bargain they had made with farmers, waß carried unanimously.