GROWERS CONFER WKTEf MINISTER

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 17, 20 January 1921, Page 7

GROWERS CONFER WKTEf MINISTER

' GOVERNMENT'S PROMISES KEPT. (IT ULESRAFH.—?RESS ASSOCIATION.) CHBISTCHURCH, 19th January. The Hon. W. Noeworthy (Minister of Agriculture) met representatives of wheat growers from Canterbury, Otago, and Southland to-day, with the object of adjusting wheat prices for the present season, and deciding upon a policy for the . 1921-22 season. Mr. G. W. Leadley presided.

Mr. J. Talbot (Timaru) said that the attitude of the growers depended largely on the Government's position. He gathered from a letter written by the Minister that it was contemplated to aband s on Government control, and to have a free market. If that policy was followed lie was afraid that very little wheat* would be grown. He suggested that the present guarantee should be continued. If that was done there would not be •the.slightest risk of over-production. - The Minister said that the Government had kept its promise to the growers in regard to both the present crop' and the 1921-22 crop. The Government had not departed one iota from the arrangements. He was there to be absolutely straight and frank, and would be so. He, had undertaken to put through the House a duty equal to the duty imposed by Australia against New Zealand. He had tried to get it through, but there had been' opposition. He would still 8b his best agilin to get a duty eqttal to the-Australian duty, and to get a free market for growers,.and do away with Government control. If there had been a surplus of wheat this year it would have been kejjt in the country, but the growers would have been paid the prices arranged for. There was ■ nothing unfair in that. If New Zealand growers did not grow sufficient wheat the .country would be up against a serious position, as the public should not be dependent on shipping and pay hundreds of thousands ■of pounds 'for what could be produced in the country. He would undertake that if the arrangement, was carried out with the Government a permanent protective duty could be imposed. Ho believed in free markets, and he wished to get back to a • protective policy.' He could not state the maximum prices yet, because he did not know what the prices in Australia ■would be.

On the motion of Mr. J. G.-N. Grigg (Longbeach), the following committee \vas appointed to meet the Minister next month, and adjust the price of thin season's wheat: Messrs. J. Stevenson (North Canterbury),' H. F. Nicoll (MidCanterbury), T. Trotter (South Canterbury), J. A. M'Pherson (Otago), the representatives of" Southland and the North Island to be appointed later.