CANTERBURY FARMERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16968, 30 September 1918, Page 5

CANTERBURY FARMERS

ASSOCIATION'S YEAR.

WHEAT QUESTION REVIEWED.

[BY TELEGRAPH".—PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

TIMARU, Sunday. The chairman of the South Canterbury Farmers' Co-ope-ative Association, Mr. John Talbot, stated at the annual meeting that the turnover for the year had been £1,879,000. This was a record, but was partly due to the high prices of everything. The gross profits on merchandise were £2000, and stock and merchandise was valued at £250,000. The chairman condemned the abolition of the tax on mortgages. The association had paid last year over £10,000 in land and income tax, and had subscribed £10,000 to war loans. Under tho compulsory provisions of the Act more must be Eai'd. Tho only means of payment would b by increasing the charges to customers. The Government's treatment of la? : - jou/b wheat crop was satisfactory, but the position regarding the next crop was quite otherwise The Government guaranteed a minimum price of 6s 4d f.0.b., with a free market, but menaced the chance of growers getting the be elit of - ..ce market by importing Australian wheat. The price at which this was to be sold was unknown. Farmers were most willing to keep the wheatgrowing industry going, but were discouraged by unnecessary and irritating restrictions in respect to selling being added to the risks and difficulties of production. A resolution was carriod to increase the capital of the association by £50,000.