GROWERS' VOICE

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18591, 16 January 1926, Page 13

GROWERS' VOICE

ON WHEAT PROBLEM. UNANIMOUS VOTE FOR FREE MARKET. "You .ill know why we're here. The wheat question is the burning question of the hour. You have all followed 'The Press' principally and know what has led up to this. Tho Farmers' "Union came to a tentative arrangement with tho Hon. W. Nosworthy, and as a result 6s sd, 6s 7d, and Gs 9d were suggested as minimum wheat prices. But the Minister did not givo anything definite until eight mouths later, and unless tho arrangement is carried on for some years it will ho of no use. It will lie best to go over it all again and see if we cannot arrivo at something more satisfactory:"

These remarks were made by Mr J. S. Simpston, who presided at a gathering fit Spriugston last night under thet auspices of tho Farmers' Union to discuss wheat prices, and control versus a freo market. The chairmnn had ready to hand a sheaf of cuttings of "The Press" from which he quoted.

Mr P. F. Byan said that there had been a lot behind the business for some time. The miller, he thought, had had moro say thJin the grower. "We. had nothing to squeal about last May. Tho Minister got busy after tho elections were over " Against Control. Mr W. J. Aiming said that he had always advocatod an open market. "Sling out tho control and give us a free market," he said. "The millers should not dictate to us. We should dictate to them. Why should wo not be protected with our wheat just as various firms aro with their implements. '' Mr F. Carpenter: It's not a fair deal at all. Why should wo pay for the man away back? We aro on dear lanrl, and ha>'.'Q our rates and taxes. Mr Anning: This f.o.b. business jr only to help the North Island. Tho farmers in Canterbury are robbed just to keep the North Island people! Adequate Protection Wanted. The following motion, moved by Mr Byan, and seconded by Mr Anning, was carried unanimously: "That this meeting of wheat-growers of Springston and surrounding districts is in favour of a free market with adequate protection." Messrs J. S. Simpson and P. F. Byan were appointed delegates to attond the Ashburton conference on Tuesday next. TWO CONFERENCES. . It appears that there has been some little confusion in regard to conferences called to discuss the wheat problem.

The growers have decided to hold a conference at Ashburton on January 19th, and a conference of millers, growers, and brokers, convened by the Department of Industries and Commerce, will take place in Christchurch on Wednesday morning. A conference of millers called for the afternoon of the same day Has been abandoned.

NO CONTROL.

ASHBURTON FARMERS' UNION.

The principal point before the meeting jvill be control or no control for this season —that is for the present harvest," stated Mr H. Watts, chairman of the Ashburton branch, of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, to a meeting of 31 wheat-growers at Ashburton yesterday. Mr Watts read the Prime Minister's telegram, which stated that the Government would not control wheat for any longer period than one year. -Mr A. Clinton (Barrhill): "Could there not be a circular sent out among the wheat-growerfe and allow .every man to vote upon the question?" The chairman replied that every Dranoh of the Farmers' Union and A. and P. Association in the county would meet to discuss the position between the time of the meeting and Monday evening, thus the majority of the growers would have an opportunity of expressing their views. Mr F. Frampton stated that all along he had been in favour of a free market unless they could show that any of the small farmers were going to lose by it. If the farmers expressed their wish for no control for the present then he thought that the Government would fall in with their view. There was not. much good in having any kind of a market without adequate protective duty, which was necessary if they were going to continue growing wheat in Canterbury. He was prepared to move a motion at a later stage.

The Subsidy Scheme. Mr W. T. Lill: "This question has got so complicated that I don't believe live per cent, of us know where we stand. I've been at this business for 60 years, and there is nothing in a free market for wheat." Continuing, Mr Lill stated that in all his experience, he knew of only one period, and that six years ago, when wheat was more than 7s per bushel, and yet on many occasions they had to pay almost as high as 10s for their seed. He was told that the Government was paying 7s 14d per bushel to bring wheat into New Zealand, and it wa9 his contention that they should pay the growers what it cost to bring the stuff into the Dominion. Mr Gould brought out a beautiful idea that a subsidy be paid on wheat and then the North Island farmers would suggest that a subsidy be put on some other product. That was a fallacy. Where would they be with a subsidy with a million bushel surplus ? He did not see for the life of him why wheat should not be controlled. If he knew what he was going to get for his wheat, then he had to gamble with the weather. He maintained that if the Government would not control it, then somebody else should. If there was no control, there were about 30 millers in New Zealand and they would control things among themselves while there were about 6000 farmers, and they were all going about like wandering sheep. "I would like to ask The Press' a question. The editor seems to the only man who knows anything about the position, and I don't supEose he ever grew a bushel of wheat in is life —''

Mr Frampton: Not the editor, tho man behind him.

Mr Lill: "Three years ago, the Farmers' Union got the Government to put a duty on wheat and flour, equal to what Australia was charging >«ew Zealand, and 'The Press' never helped one yard then. Now we have a duty of from 9d to lod per bushel on wheat and from £1 to £2 10s per ton on flour, and be it said of tho Hon. W. Nosworthy he helped us to get another 10s pre ton on flour. Thus the duty on flour to-dav is £3, and if it is to be effective it should be £5. "Will the Government ever put £5 per ton on flour? The Government had never collected

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the 15d duty on wheat because it would have meant a dearer loaf for the people." Carried Itaajiimotusly. Mr Frampton then moved:— "That seeing that tho Government has decided not to tako control of wheat after the present season, tho farmers request it not to take control for this year; hut to put an adequate protective duty on imported wheat and flour." The motion was seconded br Mr J. C. Lochhead, of Rakaia, and carried unanimously. Mr F. Frampton was appointed to represent the meeting at the conference on Tuesday. AT OA3IARU. A meeting of North Otago wheatgrowers held thi3 afternoon unanimously resolved to ask that Government control for this season' 3 wheat be «uil celled, and that a free market be established with adequate protection.