SELF-RELIANCE

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 102, 4 May 1925, Page 6

SELF-RELIANCE

THE VITAL WHEAT QUESTION

IMPORTANT CONFERENCE TO BE HELD.

There does not appear to be much divergence of opinion between producers and public on the question of a self-reli-ance policy for New Zealand in respect to wheat-growing. " The only question —and it is the most important—is at what price. The policy is unexceptionable, its cost is the difficulty. This year the Dominion is seriously short of wheat grown in the country, necessitatin"Heavy importing, and £1,300,000 has been paid to Australia already to make up the shortage, Alore money yet will go out of the Dominion for the same purpose. Tlie exchange on so large a transaction will amount to a substantial *urn in itselt and this, too, could have been saved had flew Zealand been wholly selfreliant tor its wheat supplies. There is likely to be an improvement next year, and for probably the two iollowmg years, as the outcome of a conference to be held next week between wheat growers, millers, and the Government. The assembly of representatives of these three interests will be held in Ashburton. The matter is urgent, as sowing must begin almost immediately. The Wheat Controller (Mr. J. W Collins) will attend. UW Last year 170,000 acres were sown in ?o(mnnn yi I" 5, 5 <0. 00 '000 bushels, or 3,000,000 short of requirements. Importing thus became imperative. It is hoped that as the outcome of the conference "i™ »„ T"? t0 and e»co"WSement gnen to> wheat growers by the <iovemment at least 270,000 acre's will b° pu t down in. wheat in New Zealand this year, which at an average of 30 bushels to the acre should B ivo tlie country -I sufficiency for usual-requirement"pro* \ lding there is no serious climatic handicap to tho harvest. While at Christchurch tho Wheat Controller will dl scuss with flourmillew the financial arrangements made or to b° whea°t "Vl Vif"i t0 of wheat The Minister of Agriculture (Mr. "• -Nosworthy) having signified, hi, willingness fo. import wheat" nto New S" tlduty fl'e °- SubJ°cfc to ""Mew Imdmg the necessary..finance for the undertaking, it is confidently expected tW current prices for whpat, Cr and bread will not be increased. ' •