GROWING OF WHEAT

Northern Advocate, 21 August 1929, Page 7

GROWING OF WHEAT

'SPECIAL MEETS,

OFFICIALS TESTIFY,

(Per Press Association. —Copyright.)

WELLINGTON, This Day.

The first public meeting of the Special Select Committee of the House of Representatives set up to consider wheat duties was held today when evidence was given by the ControllerGeneral of Customs as to the sliding scale of duties on wheat and flour and by Mr A. H. Cockayne assistantgeneral Director of Agriculture as to wheat growing in New Zealand. 'The latter said that one reason why wheat growing had become unpopular was that the farmer found other forms of fanning pursuits more profitable. It was essential, he said, that the Canterbury farmer should grow wheat, irrespective of any other consideration — fiscal or otherwise, Mr D. Jones asked what effect a stabilised or reasonable price would have upon the production of wheat, Mr Cockayne replied “I don’t know whether that is a policy point or not, but I would say this, ‘that, if the farmer was not terribly seared of low prices he would be more inclined to grow wheat.”