The Price of Wheat.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15776, 18 December 1916, Page 6

The Price of Wheat.

We think it very probable that if the Minister of Agriculture could) have managed to elicit a freer discussion among the wheat-growers present at the conference he would have found that the majority of them were in favour of "doing the fair thing" in the w&y of assisting the Government, and by no means desirous of making large profits out of the Empire's needs. It is one of the great drawbacks of a conference of this kind,.held with the view of fixing a price at which produce is to bo commandeered, that it does not bring out the real sentiments of those taking part in it. ; The greater proportion of the fanners present on the occasion under notice, if an appeal had been made to their patriotism., would have said, as some of them have said in private: "If the Government want "my wheat they can have it, and I " am prepared to leave it to them to " fix a fair price." But if a committee is appointed to arrange a business " deal,'' a different atmosphere is created, and it is almost certain a price will be mentioned in the first instance which is regarded as a basis for negotiations rather than the lowest price which the farmers are willing to accept. The matter is a little complicated &t the present time "by the uncertainty in regard to labour. We believe, however, that most Canterbury farmers are satisfied that it would pay them very well under existing circumstances to grow wheat at 5s 6d per bushel, and that if, after consultation with the Board of Trade, the Government fixed it at that price, the farmers could bo relied upon to accept it cheerfully. and to grow sufficient for the Dominion's requirements, which is really the essential point.