NEXT SEASON'S WHEAT CROP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16600, 25 July 1917, Page 6

NEXT SEASON'S WHEAT CROP.

PURCHASED BY GOVERNMENT.

(BY telegraph—special CORRESPONDENT.]

■WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Replying to a question in the House of Representatives to-day, the Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald, Minister for Agriculture stated that the Government had agreed to purchase the whole of the 1917-18 wheat crop, and he did not think there was anything to be afraid of. Instructions would be issued immediately to have the price gazetted. *

FARMERS WANT "0.T." TRICE.

[by telegraph.—own- CORRESPONDENT.]

WELLINGTON. Tuesday X\ heat growing was referred to bv Sir James Wilson in his speech at the opening of tho conference of the New Zealand Farmers Lnion to-day. He said he bej heved that a great effort would be made i this year to grow sufficient wheat for the country 8 requirements. The question of price had still to be settled. The pro mised price of 5s 10d fob would Fhe said act very unfairly in manv districts A farmer a hundred miles "from port would get 5s lOd less cost of delivering J the wheat on board the steamer. PosI sibly, therefore, a miller one hundred miles from port will be able to deduct 6d | a bushel, although the wheat was ground I into flour in the district where it was ! grown. The price, he contended, should joe ',', on trucks," or " delivered' at the I mill." One of the arguments against an I "0.T." price was that it would increase the price of bread. At the most the I average price of 5s lOd plus freight would not be more than 6s, and certainly the Australian wheat would cost more" than that at the mill. If the Government charged anything under 6s 3d there would be a loss. Yet, the farmer here was I asked to take less than that price.