MINISTER'S ADVICE TO FARMERS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 118, 22 May 1925, Page 7

MINISTER'S ADVICE TO FARMERS

GOVERNMENT MAY IMPORT.

The Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. W. Nosworthy) warns farmers that they hold wheat at their own risk, and that the Government may be forced to import at an early date.

Mr. Nosworthy stated last night that he had been advised by his departmental officers that at a representative conference of millers, held in Christchurch on the previous day, it was clearly shown that millers had been faithfully carrying out their agreement to purchase all the wheat they could possibly secure at the prices that were agreed upon with fanners at the conference held at Wellington on 23rd April. Returns submitted to the Wheat Controller showed that two and three-quarter million bushels had been purchased by the millers up to 9th May. The Government Statistician's returns indicated that up to 20th April almost three million bushels had been threshed.

" There now appears to be about a million odd bushels of milling wheat still in the hands of farmers and merchants," the Minister continued. " Evidently there is some reluctance on the part of farmers and merchants to sell, and it is suggested that both are probably holding for an advance in price. Many millers present at the conference definitely stated that they positively could not secure any further supplies, and were emphatic in their requests for importations of overseas wheat to the South Island.

"In order that faith be kept with tha Government and the millers who promised to buy all the milling wheat available by the end of June," said Mr Nosworthy, " I urge the farmers to sell then- wheat at-the prices agreed upon at the earliest possible moment.- The Government may be forced to import wheat at an early date, and if it is coijipe led to do so farmers will then hold their stocks at their own risk "