THE WHEAT PLAN

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21707, 14 February 1936, Page 20

THE WHEAT PLAN

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PBESS Sir,—l thank “Gluten” for his letter on this question, but his reply still leaves some questions unexplained. He shows clearly how the guaranteed prices are arrived at, thus —Price on truck a bUshel, 4s 4|d; price for millers, f.0.b., 4s 9d; brokerage. Id a bushel; f.o.b. charges, 3Jd a bushel. Now to me the whole point is, if the farmer by delivering his wheat to the mill does not incur, f.0.b., or freight charges, why should he tave to pay them? Or why not get the zenefit of them if by other means he lands the wheat at the mill without incurring such charges? I do not grumble that the farmer should pay Id a bushel brokerage charges. In a district such as Ashburton, for instance, many farmers find it as easy to put the wheat into the mill as into the truck. If it goes into the truck the miller will have the expense of railage and double handling. He is saved that expense by the fanner who delivers the wheat at the mill. Surely then, the farmer should get the benefit of it. In the wheat business he does

iar more work than all the others. The only person who can profit from the arrangement is, as far as I can see, the miller—and possibly the baker. But what about the farmer who does mcst of the work, and in these cases relieves the miller of handling the wheat from the truck? I shall be very pleased if some other wheat growers contribute to this discussion. I have discussed the question with many, but I have not met ope who does not feel that the Government proposals, while admirable in many respects, are unjust in their detail to the wheat grower.—Yours, etc., FARMER. ’ February 13, 1936.