WHEAT RESEARCH

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22484, 19 August 1938, Page 19

WHEAT RESEARCH

ACHIEVEMENTS OF INSTITUTE TEN YEARS* WORK UNDER REVIEW The achievements of the Wheat Research Institute since its foundation 10 years ago, were reviewed briefly in a report presented by the director, Dr P. W. Hilgendorf, to a meeting of the committee of the institute "yesterday. The report set out the aims and objects of the institute, which was set up in 1928 for the assistance of industries associated with wheat. The institute freely acknowledged the hearty co-6peration, Dr. Hilgendorf said, of farmers, millers, bakers, and merchants, as well as other Government departments, without which its efforts must have failed. The institute might be considered to have assisted development in the following ways:— “(1) Improvement in the technique of wheat growing and harvesting, the growing of varieties most suitable to special districts, and cheapening the cost of production. “(2) Completion of the selection and distribution of a new wheat, Cross 7, which now covers 30,000 acres, which yields as well as standard varieties, and which has by itself a baking quality equal to that of the old varieties plus the proportion of Canadian formerly used. “(3) Providing the millers with means for judging their wheats so as to make the best use of the wheats available, and to produce regularly flours of the highest quality. “(4) Providing the bakers with technical advice that has raised the standard of the product of many of them and has relieved many from special difficulties. *■ „ , “(5) Showing that New Zealand wheats are of good quality and can make bread of a high standard and quality. This has reduced the demand for Canadian which is now only one third of what it was a few years ago. “(6) Throwing light on some fundamental problems of wheat quality and bread manfacture.’’ That the wheat industry was reasonably satisfied with the work done was indicated, the report said, by the fact that twice at intervals of five years, all its sections, wheat growers, millers, bakers, and merchants had assented to the renewal of their levies in money and service which they paid for the maintenance of the institute. Levy and Subsidy The levies for the financing of the institute were fixed on the basis of lid for each 50 bushels of wheat, or ton of flour. This produced about £2500 a year, which was subsidised by Government, pound for pound. It had recently been impossible to keep within this expenditure of £SOOO a year, owing partly to the increase in wage rates consequent upon genera] financial recovery in the country, as well as the increases deserved by the increased age, • experience, and skill of the staff; partly to difficulty in securing casual labour for field work: partly to the extra work demanded by closer association with the industry; and partly to the inevitable expansion which such an institution was hound to experience if it was to avoid stagnation. In hig report for the.- last .two months the director said that the assent of

United Wheatgrowers to the continuance of the levy on wheat had been received and arrangements were now being made for a renewal of the act covering the levy. Dr. H. G. Denham presided over the meeting.