1917-1918 WHEAT

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9721, 25 July 1917, Page 6

1917-1918 WHEAT

WHOLE CROP TO BE PURCHASED

FARMERS SATISFIED WITH THE PRICE.

Ho had met a large number .of farmers in Canterbury on Saturday last, stated the Hon. D r Buddo, M.P.' for Kaiapoi, in the House of Representatives yesterday. They expressed themselves as satisfied with the Government’s- proposal to pay os lOd per bushel f.o.h. for the present season’s wheat; hut they wanted to know whether, when the Government tliad •purchased tho quantity estimated to ' dc required for all Dominion purposes, including seed wheat, that is, 6,500,000 bushels, would they then stop purchasing. He wished to ask the Minister for Agriculture, therefore, would tho Government purchase the whole of the season’s wheat-crop, whatever the amount might be, and would they gazette at the earliest possible moment tho price to bo paid and the quantity of wheat they intended to purchase? It. was an important matter, ho said, because the sowing of spring wheat was just about to take place, and tho farmers wanted to know what tho position was- . Tho Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald replied that early in the season, when it looked as if the farmers were going to give up wheat-growing, ho visited Canterbury and interviewed the farmers; ' and, with the consent of tho Government, had agreed to purchase the whole of the 1017-18 crop. (Hear, hear.) Instructions would be given to-day to tho Solicitor-General to prepare the “Gazette” notice, in accordance with tho promise then given. The delay-in—gazetting-it; was duo to tho fact-that certain details had to be considored. - Mr G. Witty (Riccarton): “Will tho price ho f.o.h. The Minister made.no reply.