CEREAL HARVESTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15916, 13 May 1915, Page 4

CEREAL HARVESTS.

IMPROVED WHEAT RETURNS.

SHORTAGE OF OATS. [BT TELEGRAPH.— CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington'. Wednesday. The Prime Minister was questioned by a reporter to-day i£ any further particulars were available with regard to the quantity of wheat and oats in the Dominion. Mr. Masscy replied that the wheat returns were now almost complete, and the Government was able to say that the result of the wheat harvest has exceeded all expectations formed a few months ago. "I am not, however, able to say yet," stated Mr- Massey, " that there is a sufficient quantity of wheat in New Zealand for our own requirements, but I can say | that with the option that the Government has secured in Canada there will bo no difficulty whatever, even if it should happen that Australia is not ablo to supply us with -j-heat from its coming sea- | son's crop. By way of making this point clear I may point out that the Australian I harvest generally comes in from six 1 weeks to two months in front of ours.

" There are still a number of important returns to come in with regard to the oat harvest, but so far as I am able to judge at present the yield of oats will not be up to the estimate of three months ago. Remembering that the New Zealand Government requires a very large quantity for defence purposes, and that there is still a quantity which we promised to supply to the Commonwealth Defence Department, I can come to no other conclusion at present than that oats will bo both scarce and dear before the next season's crop comes in. It will be quite another 'month, however, before we can make a definite statement with regard to this cereal."