OUR WHEAT SUPPLY.
10 THE EDITOR Oi' "THE PRESS." , Sir,—l havo to acknowledge your mrtesy in publishing my comments A! tho report of tho Waikouaiti County Council meeting. Since tho beginning of tho war tho wheat problem has been one of intenso interest, and, very early in. 1915, tho threatened shortage in the bread supply assumed a serious aspect in our Dominion, the seriousness of which "was only temporarily lessened by tho Government 1 arranging for the importation of sufficient foreign wheat to cover tho vnen estimated deficiency. Tho trond of events since «have a ll come to confirm tho conviction of those who, at that crisis, wore impressed with, tho necessity for our cultivating more land for tho production of food supplies. Shipping during tho presont season has-been scarcc, and an abnormal quantity "of mutton is awaiting ship -went. Tho Acting-Prime Minister's* warning that thero.is likely to be still further curtailment in shipping, must seriously affcct tho prospects of tho stock-breeder, and, tho possibility of having a largo number of fat stock unsaleable, may yet have to be faced. This may bo an advantage to New Zealand in tho future, because, taking tho statistics for 1916, we find that tho South Island's stock of sheep had docreased by 678,15-1 head compared with --• tho previous year. Therefore, a curtailment in shipment of mutton' may .tend to inurcase our stock to normal. Meantime, however, we havo largo areas of auitablo land in tho South Island at present unproductive, for 151 tho samo year tho area in wheat and oats decreased by i!OB,iM7 acres. Docs 'it not seem ab.'-.iinl that having this land lying idle, tho Minister of Agriculture should now ho on his lvay to Australia to buy wheat to moke up the shortage in our food supply? Is ic not equal folly, under ex'.stiag circumstances, to place reliant-) upon tha ability to secure wheat for our needs outside of the Dominion?
With these reflections, is it ar.y wonder that the Government aro
urging farmers to grow wheat? But they should require no urging, as tho present position indicates that- wheat, with tho price guaranteed, is a safer proposition than sheep.—Yours etc., ; R. K. IRELAND. | ' Oamaru, May 7th, 1917. i
OUR WHEAT SUPPLY.
Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15895, 8 May 1917, Page 9
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