WHEAT FROM CANADA

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 106, 31 October 1914, Page 8

WHEAT FROM CANADA

QUARTER OF MILLION BUSHELS, PRIME MINISTER ARRANGES PURCHASE. The Prime Minister (Right Hon. W F. Massey) announced in tho House of Representatives yesterday afternoon that he had just arranged for the purchase in Canada of 250,000 bushels ot wheat,. This, together with what waa intended to be imported, would go a long way towards making up for any shartae^ thai might occur before tl\e new crops camo in. Ho had preferrod to import wheat r»ther than flour in order that the mills might bo kept fully at work. He had very heartily to thank the Prime Minister of Canada on behalf of the people of Now Zealand for his good offices in making a satisfactory arrangement. Tfiere might be a slight loas on the purchase, ac they expected to Bell for rather less than what they Daid. He was very glad to be able to maJke an arrangement in view of the possibility of wheat and flour going up to famine prices, and no commission could alter that if there was no wheat in the country. The arraiiigoment made would have the effect of keeping prices at a reasonable rate. Sir Joseph Ward said he hoped the Government would gee that if the wheat were provided at a reasonable rate, flour and bread should not be allowed to , bear a, price out of proportion — disproportionately high. Mt. Maesey added, in reply to a question, that he knew of private firms already importing large quantities of wheatr-one firm as much a« 1000 ton*. All this would come in free.