APPEAL FOR WHEAT

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24545, 19 April 1945, Page 4

APPEAL FOR WHEAT

ADDRESS BY HON. D. G. SULLIVAN

RELATION TO WORLD FOOD CRISIS

“For millions in liberated Europe there is just one chance of survival, one chance of life,” said the Minister of Supply (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan), in a broadcast appeal to wheatgrowers. “That one chance Is that sufficient wheat will be grown to compensate in some measure for the terrible shortages of meat, potatoes, and all the other things normally necessary.” Bread, said Mr Sullivan, was going to be more than the staff of life: it was going to mean life itself to millions starving or near starvation. The people of courageous Britain were preparing to make yet further sacrifices to help save the lives of Europeans by a yielding up of a portion of their stocks of rationed goods. They were prepared for a reduction in their pitifully small rations, Australia and the United States were also reducing their rations. In New Zealand there was a local problem that must be looked at side by side with the tragic world-wide food problem. Because of partial failure of the crop, fpllowed by floods in Canterbury. New Zealand must import a good deal of wheat. Arrangements were made with Canada, but, because of .the acute shipping situation, some readjustments in the original arrangements were being made and a part 61 New Zealand s requirements would be met by flour from Australia. , Mr Sullivan said New Zealand could grow the wheat here in New Zealand. A minimum of 300,000 acres was required, a very small proportion of the 5,000,000 odd acres of,potential.wheatgrowing' land. To reach 300.000 sores, however, it was necessary not only for all regular wheatgrowers to do their utmost to increase their areas sown in 1945 but for all farmers with suitable land to shoulder some of the responsibility and plant wheat wherever possible, . . Bight up to harvest-time, wheatgrowers and farmers were enthusiastically behind, the wheatgrowing campaign, launched last December, said Mr Sullivan. There appeared to be no doubt that at least 300.0 M acres would be sown. It was natural test enthusiasm should have waned somewhat after the trying conditions which, had to be faced by South Island wheatgrowers during their harvest, .but tee need remained. In fadt, it was more essential now than ever before teat New Zealand should grow its own wheat •. * . . In the tragic world iooA cnwa, and with the necessity for feeding millions of liberated people, it was New Zealand’s duty to produce all its own food and not to draw from the common Allied pool of either shipping or wheat. Every bushel of wheat grown In New Zealand meant a bushel less a bushel more available to help save the lives of starving men, women, and children in tee liberated countile?- _ . The Government would face most embarrassing difficulties in its efforts to help, especially oMabour and shortage oftransport.But tbemroblems were being worked, at . and an endeavour was -I ®The iawstfss human lives.

WHEAT_ PRICE NORTH CANTERBURY FARMERS* VIEW

OPPOSITION TO ACREAGE . CONDITION 4 The opinion that. if the Govefnmwt wished to get wheat perative that the price should straight-out basis, adjusted to Include increased costs, and that the lncremehts should be brought forward to cover individual districts and that they should be substantially increased in. the first months of allocation, was .expressed by the North the Farmers' Union yesterday. motion to that effect will be forwarded to the Minister of Supply (the Hpn.DvG. Sullivan) 'and the Wheat Committee, The meeting was unanimously opr posed to the price basis announced by the Minister, with a scale rising with the. total New Zealand acreage to 7s Id a bushel lor 250,# acres. Several members did not think 250,# acres would be sown because of ■ the baokward season. It was Questioned whether a straight-out price of 7f Id would be sufficient to cover costs in view of tile amendment to the Stabilisation Regulations Increasing wages, and an increase in transport charges. Adjustments in the increments were advocated because of Increased costs of. storage .and handling on the farms as a result of the shortage of transport and of storage space in the towns. >■ The president (Mr A. M. Carpenter) said the Minister in his broadcast, appeal for wheat had put fanners “on the spot," but there were soma things militating against the growing of wheat. Canadian Wheat Mr B. G. Bishop said information about the cost of Canadian wheat had been given to the North Canterbury Primary Production Council in confidence, and he could not release it Mr M, Fleming said the public did not realise what'was happening. There was rationing of porridge because the price was kept down to 3s 3d a bushel for white oats, while ordinary feed oats were selling at 6s. When a member interrupted that the price of feed oats might be restricted, too, Mr Fleming said: “Let them do what they like, but let the public know about it and know who is to blame.” Mr Fleming said every farmer would ,be disgusted by an appeal which offered nothing. Costs of production were going up and the Minister was doing nothing about it, Mr L. R. C. Macfarlane said the acreage condition was no good this year because the weather would limit acreage. The farmers were not up against the Government; they were up against nature. The executive should gather the evidence that would show that farmers would not grow wheat unless the pried of 7s Id was unconditional Mr Fleming; If the Minister wants wheat he'll have to pay for it. He has to pay for it if he Imports it. We are getting all worked up about something that should give the Minister the headache. If a farmer thinks he grows wheat out of patriotism he’s got another thought coming. He grows it because it is profitable. If it is not and he goes bankrupt, the Minister is not going to put him back on his farm. Mr T. E. Streeter said there were two ways of getting the wheat: to increase the price by Is fid a bushel or to exempt wheat returns from taxation. Until the fanner was given an incentive New Zealand would not get the wheat. Mr Carpenter; I don't believe that ft is physically possible to get the wheat, even if the orlce vjere increased Is fid a bushel. The young men have been taken, and the farmers are too old. Effect of Taxation “There are two commodities in phurt supply—coal and wheat,” said Mr G. C. Warren. “From all the information I can gather the miners won’t produce more coal because it would mean higher taxation. If miners were in a different taxation category we would get more coal. There is a certain amount of that in my district—it is a psychological handicap.” Mr Warren said it was not only a questiop of the cost of growing wheat, but the depletion of the land. Farmers should pay In taxation their share of the cost of government, but should be giveh a price on which they could meet the taxation. Mr Bishop said five years' normal l production had been produced in f~ur years, much of it by patriotic effort. The stage had bwn reached wVre wbep'growers could not kr>ah ivuft. jerauso the land was cropped out They bnd to jgo to people who did not usually grow