THE WHEAT PROBLEM.

Otago Witness, Issue 3775, 20 July 1926, Page 21

THE WHEAT PROBLEM.

THE MILLERS’ ACTION. WELLINGTON, July 16. In the House of Representatives this afternoon Mr David Jones (Ellesmere) referred to the question of the importation of wheat from Australia. He said he wished to point out emphatically that we would have had plenty of wheat in New Zealand this year if the weather conditions had been good last year, when there were very severe floods in the country. In consequence most of the farmers were unable to get on their land until right into the spring. Many could put in no wheat at all. The result was a considerable reduction in the amount •of wheat grown. The policy of the Government had been altered lately, and it had at last fixed the duty on wheat. The result of that was that we would have in New Zealand next year sufficient wheat for New Zealand’s needs if we got good yields. A very peculiar position, however, was resulting at the present moment on account of the action taken by Distributors (Ltd.). They were importing flour into New Zealand and reducing the price in the North Island, but increasing it in the South Island. Many people wondered why. The position was quite clear. Distributors (Ltd.) endeavoured to fix the price last year by binding themRelves to a price that they would not go beyond. Many millers felt that the price was too low, and a large number went beyond that price and got sufficient wheat to carry them through until next wheat season. Some prominent members of Distributors (Ltd.) refused to go beyond the fixed price, and they had very little wheat left to-day as the result. Consequently. they were starting an agitation to get an importation of wheat into the South Island, knowing that unless they could lift the price of flour, and therefore of wheat, in the South Island it would be impossible to import wheat from Australia and mill it. even duty free. They thought they had acted with great cleverness/but really they had acted with great foolishness. The Minister of Agriculture had definitely stated that the Government was out of ;he wheat business. It had fixed the duty, and the duty remained. That might cause hardship to some for a time, but the result of the policy would be that there would be more wheat in New Zealand than under any other policy that could be adopted. The Minister deserved the gratitude of the farmers who took the long view, and of the whole of the community. He hoped the Minister would indicate that he meant to stick to the policy he had adopted# and that lie would r/t be driven into another position by the action of members of the company referred to.

STATEMENT BY MINISTER. WELLINGTON, July 16. Speaking late in the evening, the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. O. J. Hawken) said it was unfortunate that enough wheat had not been grown last year to provide for the wants of the people, but the Government still held to its opinion that the ordinary course of trade should

be followed and that the Government should not interfere in the question at all. He understood that some millers had bought sufficient wheat for the whole of the year’s requirements, and the Government would be interfering with those millers if it took up any other attitude. There would be sufficient wheat for next year’s requirements if the weather and other factors were normal. Except in bad years, he hoped and believed we could grow enough for our own requirements. The Government had no intention of altering its policy in regard to wheat. GUARDING AGAINST SHORTAGE. WELLINGTON, July 13. In his speech to-night Mr H. E. Holland (Leader of the Opposition) referred to the wheat question. He said that our annual consumption of wheat was 8,000,000 bushels and last year our production was only 5,500,000. Anyone who went through Canterbury and North Otago would come to the conclusion that New Zealand was in a position to supply its own wheat, yet we found ourselves from 1,000,000 to 2,000.000 bushels short of our needs, and sometimes much more than that. Mr D. Jones (Ellesmere): What about last year’s wet winter when they could not get it in? Mr Holland: We could organise. Mr Jones: The' weather? Mr Holland No ,but we could make provision for the bad years as well as the others. We could have wheat over and above our necessities if we stored it. New South Wales had in one year lost large quantities of wheat destroyed by the weather and by mice Thousands of tons were lost. The New South Wales Government then provided itself with elevators and silos right alongside the railway lines capable of storing great quantities of wheat. This placed the wheat production of New South Wales in such a position in a bad season. or a good season that all local possibilities could be met. He stressed the fact that in New Zealand if we struck adverse years.-a 3 we must from time to time, we could save the situation by storage as New South Wales had done. NO PROMISE OF INCREASE. CHRISTCHURCH, July 18. The action of the millers in increasing the price of flour in Christchurch by £1 per ton raised hopes in some quarters that they would be prepared to give more for wheat. However, a merchant stated yesterday that he had approaclied the millers to see if they would pay more, but they were not prepared to do so. THE NORTH ISLAND. •F.bom Oob Own The outstanding feature of North Island weather during the past week was the terrific storm at Auckland. The whole province was affected by it, and Thames Valley and Whangarei districts suffered severely. Auckland city, however seemed to be the centre of the disturbance and on the wat front damage to property and shipping would run into many thousands of pounds. On the west coast it was fine at the week-end, but a storm developed at mid-week, and a little rain fell, with more hanging around. Over in Hawke’s Bay the season has been really a dry one. It is true a fair amount of rain has fallen, but not nearly sufficient to give the ground a good saturation. Follow ing on after a dry summer, a great deal of rain is required, and somehow that is not being provided. There are, however, a couple or three months remaining that usually bring rain, and Hawke’s Bay pastoralists and agriculturalists are hoping that the demands of the soil will be fully met before the Jry period commences. At present there is plenty of good feed and stock are wintering ex ceedingly well. The dairy season ghoul i be ushered in under favourable conditions, provided that we do not get the cold winds and stormy weather of last spring. HAWKE’S BAY. While the town folk have thoroughly enjoyed the glorious weather experienced in the Bay, farmers look upon the prevailing condition with unmixed blessing. Rain over the province is badly needed, and it is the general opinion that unless it comes and completely saturates the laid for days, next year will prove a worse period for the farmers than has this year, and of course, as all know, this has been very bad. According to figures supplied by Mr C. L. Thomas, Government weather recorder in Napier,- the rainfall in Napier for the half year ended June -30 last was a little more than half the quantity for the corresponding .period of 1925, and only a third of the quantity which fell in the first six months of 1924.

ioiaia miv mu crzi The comparative figures for the three Junes show that the rainfall for" last month was well behind that which fell in the two previous Junes. The figures are —172 points in June, 1924; 657 in June 1925; and 94 for last month. For the present three half years the figures show that rain fell on 59 days in 1924 and 1920, and on 07 days in 1925. WELLINGTON WINTER SHOW. Wellington’s Winter Show is now being held, and there is every prospect of a record exhibition being held. No expense has been spared in the effort, and there has been a splendid response both on the part of exhibitors and those engaged in the various trade industries. The display of live stock was particularly good, and the animals came forward in fine condition. The results of the judging were as follows: Cattle. — Fat steer or bullock, any age—N. Gibbons 1, G. F. Moore 2, J. R. Strong 3. Fat steer, three years old —W. Howard Booth 1. Fat steer, two years old—W. Howard Booth 1 # G. F. Moore 2.

Fat steer, one year old—W. Howard Booth 1 and 2. Junior championship for best steer, two years and under—W. Howard Booth. Senior championship, for best steer or bullock three years and over—W. Howaru Booth. Grand championship —W. Howard Booth. Sheep and Lambs (Freezing).— Longwool cross—W. Howard Booth 1, W. B. Stuckey 2, W. Mackenzie 3. Pen of three lambs —J. S. Holmes 1 and 2. • Down cross, pen of three sheep—W. Howard Booth 1 and 2. F. Davies 3. Pen of three lambs —W. Howard Booth 1 and 2. Corrielales.— Pen of three sheep—W. Mackenzie 1, E. Cleming 2. Championship: Sheep—W. M'Kenzie. Lambs —W. Howard Booth. Fat Sheep and Lambs. — Longwool cross, pen of three sheep— A. E. Pearce Estate 1, W. Howard Booth 2 and 3. Pen of three lambs —A. E. Pearce Estate 1, W. Howard Booth 2 and 3. Down cross, pen of three sheep—W. Howard Booth 1 and 2, J. S. Holmes 3. Pen of three lambs—W. Howard Booth 1 and 2, J. S. Holmes 3. A DECREASE IN WOOL PRICES. The New Zealand Farmers’ Union has issued an interesting circular showing that there was a decrease of 8d per lb on the prices realised during the past season as compared with those ruling in 1924-25. This is estimated to represent a shrinkage of £6,000,000. The circular proceeds:— “Prices for the best wools have been satisfactory, but unfortunately there was a large proportion of broken and wasty wool caused by the lonn- wet winter and the backward spring. The season commenced at Wellington on November 16, when 9795 bales were offered and 9175 bales sold. The average price worked out at 13.37 d per lb, or £l9 5s 2d per belt. At the various sales through-

out the season there were no marked variations, and the season finished up with a total of 471,583 bales being sold at an average price of 11.93 d, or £l7 Is 8d per bale. Last year the number of bales sold was 440,369, at an average price of 19.95 d per lb, or an average of £29 5s per bale.” TRAVELLING FARM SCHOOL. The travelling farm school, organised by the Department of Agriculture, was opened at Palmerston North on the 13th inst, and it is hoped that ambitions will be realised. The aim of this form of instruction is to give farmers a better knowledge of their own calling, with a view to increased production. Lectures and demonstrations are being given, and farmers are learning something that they never knew before. NEW ZEALAND PORK PROSPECTS The New Zealand Meat ' Producers’ Board has been advised by the board’s London manager that the present feeling ii. London is that the embargo on Con tinentjl shipments of fresh meat raj be likely to last for some time, and good pi ices are probable for veal and frozen pork, particularly pork weighing from 801 b to 1201 b. Prices of pork, weighing 1201 b to 1801 b, may not show the same advance, as the price of bacon nay be kept in check by the increased supplies of bacon that may come forward from Holland and Denmark. Referring to tlm new development, Mr J. Fraser, managei of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board, said that this was an opportunity of which the pig raisers of this Dominion should take advantage, and it was to be hoped that New Zealand’s export of por'. next season will show an appreciable increase. Continuing. Mr Fraser said:— “A comparison in cwt. of the Dominon s shipments of pork to Great Britain for the last five years, ended September 30, is as follows:—l922, 12,453 cwt.; 1923, 32,284 cwt.; 1924, 6047 cwt.; 1925, 38,028 cwt.; 1926 (to May 31), 31,048 cwt. “It will be seen from these figuures,” proceeded Mr Fraser, “that we are inci easing our export of pork, but not to

the extent that we should do with all the many advantages this Dominion possesses over other countries which export pork to Great Britain—particularly in respect of climate and other natural j-e-----sources. There is no branch of primary production in this Dominion which gives such scope for expansion as pig-raising. There is an ever-increasing demand for pork in Gre.it Britain, as is evidenced by the fact that last year the value of bacon, herns, pork,’ and lard imported into the United Kingdom from all sources amount* ed to £66,588,566. “At present, we have only 440,115 pigs in this Dominion, and if we are to build up an export trade we must send forward regular supplies, and this can only he accomplished by farmers raising mole pigs. “Of the numerous'pure breeds of pigs, the large white most nearly approaches the ideal bacon pig, and in the opinion of the board, from investigations which i', lias made, it considers the large white the most suitable to cross w'ith the stock aheady in this Dominion for our export tinde. The large white does not, at present, hold that position of prominence in New Zealand, to which its many valuable characteristics entitle it. It is said that it is doubtful whether any breed, except perhaps the middlle white, can put on more weight for a given quantity of food consumed than the large white. The large white pig is also noted for its constitution ana hardiness, and will prosper under the most trying conditions. As grazers and foragers the pigs of this breed are good even when only a few weeks old. “There has always been a considerable quantity of veal shipped to London from Holland in a fresh state,” concluded the manager of the Metft Board. “The immediate result of the embargo should be shown in the increased value of British home-killed veal, and manufacturers who trade in fresh veal may not be able to pay the higher price asked, with the result that they may have to use a greater quantity of frozen, which should create

The following table shows the comparative rainfalls for the three halfyears:— 1924 1925 1926 Points. Points. Points. Jan 287 125 Feb .. .. 112 72 150 March .. 1060 53 106 April .. .. May .. 303 18 34 .. 480 359 318 Juno .. 172 657 94 Totals .. .. .. 2316 1446 827