WHEAT SUPPLY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22917, 21 December 1937, Page 21

WHEAT SUPPLY

CROP INSUFFICIENCY EFFECT IN EMERGENCY CONCERN OF GOVERNMENT [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] CHRISTCHURCH,' Monday The necessity in the last two seasons of importing wheat has drawn the attention of the Government to the possible effect on New Zealand's food supply if shipping wore disorganised by war. The New Zealand crop at the present rate of production might be insufficient by a heavy margin to supply the Dominion's needs. The organisation for national security which, under the control of the Cabinet, is working to make New Zealand self-supporting in any national emergency, has officially recognised the wheat position. It is stated that the decision of the Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, to announce wheat prices for future seasons as early as possible, so that farmers can plan their wheat acreage seasons ahead, has been prompted by realisation of the urgent need for the Dominion to be able to meet its own wheat requirements. Wheatgrowers have stated that if they knew the price in advance a much greater acreage could be planted. Serious as a crop shortage might be, with no shipping facilities, the position is said to have an even more serious side. The growing use of tractors has made petrol an absolute necessity on many farms. It is stated that if the petrol supply were to be cut off, on present figures New Zealand's agricultural production must drop considerably. On many farms no horses are kept and the number of tractors at present working would need to be replaced by about 60.000 draught horses to keep farm production at its present level without petrol supplies. Statistics are stated to show that the number of draught horses in the country is far short of what would be required if tractors were not used.

Only a few months' petrol supplv is kept in New Zealand at one time. Thus a sudden cessation of the importation tff motor fuel would place the Dominion in a very serious position. The organisation for national security is reported to keep in close touch with petrol importers so, if an emergency arose, present stocks might be rationed. Even under rationed use stocks could not be expected to last more than a year. l'hesc factors have been a powerful agent in strengthening the desire of the Government to have oilfields discovered, and they have also been used as arguments for coal carbonisation. At the moment the position is that if imports were restricted a wheat crop of the same proportions as this year's would not be sufficient to f?ed the country, and even if it were, production might bo curtailed by tho lack of petrol.