PRICE OF WHEAT

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 20, 24 January 1924, Page 12

PRICE OF WHEAT

SHOULD THERE BE FIXATION?

ARRANGEMENTS REQUIRED BEFORE AUTUMN SOWING.

(tT TBLEGSAPB.—PRESS ASSOCIATIOK.I

CHRISTCHURCH, 23rd Jan. At to-day's meeting of the North Canterbury branch of the Farmers' Union, Mr. W. Leadley, in referring to the fix.ation of wheat prices, said he considered they were working from the wrong end. Thes cheme launched last year had.its advantages and dlsadvanetges, but he considere if they were going to carry on they must go to the millers and Government at the beginning of the season, and not at the end of it. They itook considerable risks, and when the crop was ready to buy they went to somebody and asked what he would give, for it. He proposed to circularise the whole of the provincial executives in the wheat growing areas of New Zealand, asking them to get togetheT and evojje some scheme" whereby they could conduct their negotiations before, "they grew the crop. Mr. W. A. Banks said thy were treading on very dangerous ground in talking about fixing prices. The whole system could be carried too far, and he asked how farmers would like to have the prices of wool and butter fixed, at the beginning of the season. What would life be brought to? It Would do away with the element of speculation if everything was fixed and settled beforehand.

Mr. Mulholland: "That would not hurt the farmer."'

The chairman remarked that they could always go to Riccarton for speculation.

Mr. Banks said if they could not grow wheat, without loss they should get out of the business. Other parts of New Zealand had realised the position, and had gone in for dairying. He could see in Canterbury plenty, of land growing wheat which would never pay even if the price was 7s 6d per bushel. He believed in keeping on the protective tariff, but was against fixed prices. The meeting decided that negotiations with a view to making arrangements for the price of the 1924-25 crop be entered into now in time for the autumn sow. ing.