SUPPLY OF WHEAT FOR POULTRY

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22135, 3 July 1937, Page 13

SUPPLY OF WHEAT FOR POULTRY

DEFENCE OF GOVERNMENT AND COMMITTEE

REPLY TO CRITICISM FROM AUCKLAND

[THE PRESS Special Service.! WELLINGTON, July 2. A reply on behalf of the Wheat Committee to criticism contained in a message from Auckland, published on June 23 about wheat supplies lor poultry-keepers, was made to-day by the deputy-chairman of the committee, Mr L. J. Schmitt. He said the message inferred that the plight in which poultry-keepers found themselves today was caused by Government control of feed wheat. This statement was incorrect, as feed wheat had not been and was not subject to Government control; neither had the Wheat Committee taken control of feed wheat though it had taken certain action mainly in the direction of making supplies available and in endeavouring to keep prices as low as possible, Mr Schmitt said.

"In press messages from Auckland the statement was also made that pollard was quoted at £lO 5s a ton in Auckland. The Wheat Committee states," added Mr Schmitt, "that the price at which it is -selling pollard in Auckland is £7 a ton delivered, less li per cent, discount for cash within 14 days. The amount of New Zealand pollard available is. of course, determined by the amount of wheat milled for flour. Local supplies have, however, been supplemented as far as possible by importations from Australia. Unfortunately, supplies have been short in the Commonwealth. It there has been a shortage at any time in New Zealand during the present vear. and this is open to question, then surely neither the Government nor the Wheat Committee can be held responsible under the circumstances. It should be mentioned that were it not for the Government's policy of encouraging the growing and milling ot wheat in New Zealand we would oe dependent to a far greater extent on the Australian market for supplies ot pollard. As limited amounts of this commodity are obtainable from Australia and as the cost at which dutyfree importations can be bought now exceeds the price of New Zealand pollard, the Government's policy of the protection and encouragement ot wheatgrowers is actually in the interests of the poultry producers.

Importing Wheat

"In a further passage in the press report the statement occurs that the Government must accept some of the blame for .i.e troubles of poultrykeepers for the reason that it had nol responded to requests to obtain wheat from Australia when it was realised last December that supplies would be short. Sufficient comment in reply to the last statement is that the price of wheat as quoted in December last was between 2d and 3d a bushel higher than to-day. It was stated, too, that sprouted wheat was detrimental to the production of eggs, as it did not enable the birds to build up their condition. In reply to this statement the Wheat Committee arranged for tests to be made'with sprouted wheat at the Agriculture Department's poultry station at Wallaceville last year. The results show that there were no ill-

effects whatever on birds fed on such wheat.

"The Wheat Committee is keeping closely in touch with the position in Auckland, where only last week it was found that there were ample supplies of feed wheat on hand to meet current requirements. There has not been a shortage, as all the orders from Auckland merchants have been met by releasing New Zealand milling wheat for sale as stock feed as and when required. "From this," concluded Mr Schmitt. "it will be obvious that the Government and the Wheat Committee have been helpful to poultry producers in so far as the supplies and prices of wheat and pollard are concerned."