PRICES FOR WHEAT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIVIII, Issue 17684, 20 January 1921, Page 8

PRICES FOR WHEAT.

CONFERENCE WITH GROWERS. TOE MINISTER'S ATTITUDE. A PROTECTIVE DUTY. FREE MARKET NEXT SEASON. [IIT TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHULTH. Wednesday. The Minister for Agriculture, Hon. W. Nosworthy, met representative wheatgrowers from Canterbury, Otago, and Southland today with the object of justing wheat prices for the present sea-i-nn, and deciding upon the policy for the 1021 22 season. Mr. G. W. Leadley presided. Mr. J. Talbot (Timaru) said the attitude of the growers depended largely on the Government's position. The question was in regard to dealing .with the > rop about to be harvested and with tho 1921-1922 crop. The latter was the more important of the two. He gathered tioin a letter written by the Minister that it was contemplated to abandon the Uovernment control and to have a free market. If that policy was followed, he was afraid very little wheat would be grown. it was a delusion to think that a, high d-ity could be placed on wheat, as pressure would be brought to bear on the Government not to put on a duty, lu the past the duty on wheat had teen a delusion and a snaxe. Government control was not generally wished for, but, tin less the Government gave some kind of guarantee, wheat-growing would bo a thing of the past- He suggested that the present guarantee should be continued. If tliat was done there would not be the slightest risk of over-production. It was very desirable that Now Zealand should produce sufficient wheat for its own use. Tho best plan was for the growers to meet after the conference and consider any oner the Government might- make. The Minister said the Government had kept its promises to the growers in regard to both the present crop and the 1921-22 crop. The Government had not departed one iota from its arrangements. He was there to be absolutely straight and frank, and would be so. He bad undertaken to put through the House a duty equal to the duty imposed by Australia against New Zealand. He had tried to get it through, but there had been opposition. He would still do his best again to get a duty equal to the Australian duty, get a free market for growers, and do away with Government control. If there had been a surplus of wheat this year it would have been kept in the country, but the growers would have been paid the prices arranged for. There was nothing unfair in that. H New Zealand growers did not grow sufficient wheat the country would be up against a serious position, aa the . public should not be dependent on shipping and pay hundreds of thoxusahds fox what could be produced in tho country. -■ He would undertake that if an arrangement was carried out with the Government a 'permanent protective duty could be imposed. He believed in free markets. The law of supply and demand governed everything and he wished to get back to "a protec-tive-policy.- Ho could not state the maximum prices yet. because he did not know what the prices in Australia would be. On the motion of Mr. J. 0. N. Grigg (Longbeach) the following committee was appointed to meet the Minister next month and adjust the price of this season's wheat:—Messrs. J. Stevenson (North Canterbury), H. F. Nicoll (Mid Canterbury), T. Trotter (South Canterbury), J. A. McPherson (Otago), representatives of Southland and the North Island to be appointed later. A motion, "That £he present system of Government control should be continued for the 1921-22 crop, provided a satisfactcy minimum price is guaranteed," was lost by 28 votes to 19.