FOWL WHEAT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 21 March 1936, Page 7

FOWL WHEAT

DIFFICULTIES DISCUSSED SUBSTITUTES SAID TO BE AVAILABLE The problem of obtaining sufficient supplies of wheat for poultrymen, especially in relation to the control of the output of wheat by the Wheat Committee and the prohibition of importation of wheat without Ministerial consent, and the possibility of using substitutes were discussed at a meeting of lh° committee of the Wheat Research Institute (reports the “Press”).

The director, Dr. F. W. Hilgcndorf, reported having received a minute from the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. which sail that poultrymen had ini endowed the Minister for Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan), and arising from the meeting, there had come a request that a greater amount of pollard should he. set aside for the use of the poultry industry, and also that wheat might lie grown which while not suitable for milling, might be used for feeding to poultry. Substitutes for pollard had also been sought and Dr. Hilgcndorf had suggested lucerne meal, .experiments on which had been carried out some years ago. He had suggested that poultry men meet their requirements by growing their own wheat. The chairman (Mr J Lyon): “There is no reason why the North Island should not grow its own fowl wheat.” Dr. Hilgendorf: ‘I think the weather this year will solve the' difficulty.’

In England oats had been grown, which when threshed had no shell, said Mr W. W. Mulholland. They would he introduced into New Zealand and if the 'experiment were satisfactory, it might go a long way toward providing a substitute for fowl wheat. While admitting that poultrymen must use a certain amount of wheat, Mr Mulholland contended that for commercial poultry producers, the chief consideration was the price of feeds. Mr R. K. Ireland reminded members that now wheat- was controlled hy the Wheat Committee, which would have to give its consent before it could he sold to poultry associations. Dr. Hilgendorf: ‘Mv suggestion meant that producers should grow wheat among themselves and not for them lo sell it to each other.” Mr F. R. Callaghan : “Is it possible to grow wheat that is not regarded as milling wheat?” Tlie chairman: “All wheat is milling wheat until it is declared not- to be.” Mr Callaghan said that about onetenth of the wheat grown in the country was consumed by the poultry industry. In the past provision had been made for poultrymen to buy whoa* from farmers, said Mr Mulholland, who considered that such, provisions would always he made, for it was obvious that any primary industry must have feed at tlio lowest possible price. If poultry farmers grew wheat lor their own use, it would not come under the control of the Wheat Committee. The director was asked to reply along the lines lie had suggested, noting the Wheat Committee's control ot milling wheat.'