WHEATGROWER CLAIMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17380, 31 January 1920, Page 7

WHEATGROWER CLAIMS.

PRICES FOR NEXT SEASON'S CROP.

The question of prices for wheat in 1921 was discussed last Saturday by a meeting of wheat growers in Oamari. Messrs. J. G. Macdonald and J. A. Miicpherson, the delegates to the recent conference with the Prime Minister, reported that the prices asked by the North Otago delegates —8s 6d. 8s 3d, and Bs— been passed by the conference, but the Prime Minister said he could not accept them without placing them before the Cabinet. He advised the delegates to confer again, with the result that 7s 9d, 7s 6d, and Is 3d were the prices eventually submitted to, and accepted by, Mr. Massey for this year's harvest. The present meeting, said Mr. Macdonald, was to decide what prices should he submitted to the Cabinet for the next two years' crops. After discussion it was resolved ; "Thai, in view of the increased prices of manures and implements since the conference with the Prime Minister, this meeting of farmers and wheai-growers is of the opinion that to encourage the growing of wheat the prices for the neit two years should be fixed at 8s 3d, Bs, and 7? 9d." A motion that fanners should be reasonably safeguarded against poor yields if they sowed wheat was carried. It was pointed out that the climatic disabilities of North Otago rendered conditions different from North Canterbury, ono farmer from which, at the conference, had stated his willingness to grow wheat to-day at 4s. That farmer had never had less than 72 bushels <'.n acre. The North Otago point of view was expressed by Mr. James Hore (Tokarahi), who said that in 21 years of consistent wheatgrowing he had but twice had good yields and prices, simultaneously, when ilia yields 5? agd 40. bushels, *