IS THERE ENOUGH WHEAT ?

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 573, 30 July 1909, Page 10

IS THERE ENOUGH WHEAT ?

■■:■■ >■ ' A., FARMER'S FORECAST./ : - ;.Some interesting-things 'w'ere\ ; sa'id .at'tho Dominion Conference of the Farmers'*' Union yesterday, on the subject -of .estimating'tho country's available !Sylica't'supply"." Tlie discussion arose; ; on the. -following. ' hannless'looking, .motion, -'moved by Mr. Dyo (Auckland), and seconded! by Colonel Bell (Auck'land): —"Tlia'tHthe Government bo again: requested to. .collect- tho agrictiltu'ral returns by post,-and:that.a. pcnalty.be imposed if returns arc aiot'rent into-date."' It was pointed out in the discussion that considerable ■ div.ergcijce ,• .of - statement existed botwceiv'tlie'Government /ofticotsf,, aiid '.'the merchants as to/ tho.'.-'quantity^.of'-wheats al:ready;''exported/,tliisT/seasoiu i and i:tho';'quantitystill reniaii(in^":iin]."thbvjJ6minibri. : - : :''i i j' : ';: Mr. Leadley.'r:?.(i!ice-president)j •'_ ot Canterbury, said the' Department of/Agriculture's tendency was t'6:"pycr-eatihiato 'the. availablo ■ supplies. Pcrliap's/.'this ; was' ; bcCaiiso;.they liked-.to put as'irpsy.ta'huo upon:'filings:',as possible. That'?:jnight not be/ the\motive, but it "looked sdspicious, when it was' found that ..their estimated, surplus ;bf. wheat, did hot'/tally with ith'e actual surplus after ..consideration of ou'r'i.food.requirements aiid.the quantity .exportcdv./''', Thero .''; was' evidently something .wrong,;in:.tho system/.!.;.The.:farmers. themselves 1 ,-;: who. furjiished ■;.tho • figures on which the-.returns were-made/iip; also perhaps'.naturally,liked to make things; look a? rosy as possible.: Each liked to; "'go "one better" than the others'as to his'yield, per acre, or.hi, repbr'tirig v "bumper" crops.'.,' Recently the at -his-: request, instituted in Ashburton'.a.'system.of obtaining the returns,-;,from/'. the ■'.threshing-mill owners,- but ho'iiiadetho: mistake' of asking ■them, to state j'tho'.average yield, per acre, which they were ;not:compotent to do without the farmer's-help,-;■'Speaking.of wheat.yields generally, Mr. iLeadley' said: ''I'll- 'give, .you a prophecy. Wheat is going to be scarce before- next .harvest.'" Wo are going to be out of'wheat,4 o r the local food supply,.in spite of all our : wheat, of the, last- harvest: *A : delegate': y You"aire'' frying to bump' -up the price. (Laughter.) Mr. Leadley: "Don't tell, tales on me." Continuing, ho poiuted out that merchants estimated the exports at three times "as much as the Government estimated... ■ '/ After other /discussion,' the, motion was carried.- • '• ■!'•■• '"'■•.■' : !' ".-■ '; ''•■■■*