" IN A MESS."

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 257, 31 October 1933, Page 7

" IN A MESS."

WHEAT GROWERS' CRY. Talk of Hold-up Throughout Australia. ■ ■ CROP RESTRICTION EVIL. (United P.A.-Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Received 11 a.m.) CANBERRA, this day. Direct action in the form of a holdup of AvAeat throughout Australia is threatened in a unanimous resolution carried by the conference of the Australian Wheat Growers' Federation. Representing 40,000 growers, the federation demands immediate,action- by the Federal Government to afford relief to growers. "The Commonwealth Government, by adopting the international wheat agreement, got us into this mess, and now it must get us out of it," said one delegate.

The Sydney correspondent of the "Auckland ■ Star," writing by last mail, etated: "This week a copy of the Wheat Agreement was made available to the Federal Parliament for the first time, and the discussion of its details has caused a genuine public sensation. It will be remembered that at the London Economic Conference, when the wheat supply was under consideration, a demand tor restriction of export from other countries wae put forward by the Americans. New Zealand and Australia both objected strongly, and Mr. Bruce held out as long as poseible, against heavy pressure- At last Australian interests were subordinated to the will of the majority, and Mr. Bruce was compelled to accept limitation. "It was estimated that Australia's wheat crop for 1933 would not exceed 155,000,000 bushels, and allowing 50,000,000 bushels for home consumption, it was agreed that we might export a maximum of 105,000,000 bushels this season, with the prospect of exporting 150,000,000 bushels in 1034-35. Now it seems that, what with the unexpectedly good rainfall and other unforeseen circumstances, the latest estimate for this year's Australian wheat crop is at least 163,000,000 bushels, and some of the experts maintain that the crop may go even higher. The question at once arises what is to be done with the surplus? The debate in the Federal House showed that neither producers nor Ministers are ready with a practicable plan to meet the emergency.