MEETING OF WHEATGROWERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3854, 24 January 1928, Page 20

MEETING OF WHEATGROWERS.

PRESENT TARIFF SUPPORTED

In response to an advertisement inviting wheatgrowers to a meeting to discuss the question of marketing for the coming season, onlv a handful attended at the County Council offices in Oamaru on Friday afternoon.

Mr A. Murray was voted to the chair, and he called upon Mr R. B. Meek to report upon what was proposed by the Wheat Committee. Mr Murray said that he personally did not see much need for a pool, seeing that they had a good tariff. Mr Meek said he was sorry there was not a larger nurner of wheatgrowers present. He stated that about nine months ago a committee was set up in Ashburton to deal with the tariff, etc. It was a big job, but was undertaken with confidence. The idea in regulating the tariff was that the price of the loaf should not be increased. There was quite a small space between the producer and the consumer. After the tariff had passed the House, it was decided to consult the. millers. The millers had fixed £4 5s as the conversion cost, though some were converting at £3 17s. If the conversion cost were fixed at £4 5s the big millers would be on a very good wicket indeed. ~On December 5 the millers had definitely stated that they would not meet the producers. Between December 5 and December 28 the millers had changed their attitude and offered to meet the producers. A large meeting had been held at Ashburton. It had been reported that some growers had sold at 5s 8d per bushel. At the same time, it was known that large quantities were being sold at 6s and 6s Id per bushel. The meeting decided to endeavour to stabilise the market _ by approaching the merchants and seeking their assistance. A meeting had been held with the Oamaru merchants, and they had agreed to assist as far as possible to prevent wheat from being rushed upon the market. At a meeting held in Christchuch on January 10 it was reported that the merchants in all parts of Canterbury and North Otago had offered to assist the growers. The merchants in Christchurch had been approached, and they ventured the opinion that wheat was worth only 5s 8d per bushel. If this was so, then the tariii was a great win for the millers. They saw last season the value of holding wheat. If the millers could pay 6s sd, 6s 7d, and 6s 9d for Tuscan wheat two years ago, they could quite well afford to pay 6s this year. For some reason a quantity of wheat had been sold early this year. It was not, however, sold at 5s 8d to 5s 9d per bushel, as mentioned in a Christchurch report. It was for this meeting to decide whether it would continue to have representation on the Wheat Committee. The idea was to form a wheat pool. This would mean a small levy on .wheat, with the object of

forming a fund that could be used in case there was a surplus of wheat. Mr Meek mentioned an article in a local paper dealing with the latest proposals of the North Island merchants for the circumvention of the tariff. He stated that it would take at least 12 months to form a pool. It was for the meeting to say whether it favoured such a pool, and whether they should continue to have representation on the committee. If they had a delegate, they should not expect the Farmers' Union, which was composed of pastoralists and poultrymen as well as wheat growers, to bear the expense. One firm of merchants in Oamaru had offered to store wheat and finance the growers, and probably other merchants would be prepared to do likewise. . It was desired that the wheat should be held, so that the millers would not get the whole of the advantage of the tariff. Mr W. Forrester, who was at the Ashburton conference, said he was somewhat oiflident in epeaking upon the subject, as he had no wheat to sell. The Ashburton meeting would have been prepared to form an association, or a wheat pool, but it was too close to the harvest to take action. The delegates had been asked to go back to their districts and consult the wheat growers in regard to the formation of a wheat pool. The millers had a close organisation, and when they spoke they spoke as one man. What was wanted was an organisation of wheat growers which would defeat the purposes of the millers’ combine. Unless the wheat growers were willing to sign an agreement not to sell until advised by the Wheat Committee to do so, the whole scheme would fall to the ground. The tariff was fixed at such a point that the growers should receive 6s per bushel. They should not permit the miller to get it all. They could not blame the millers, who wanted all they could get. The Chairman said they were all blaming the millers, but did they ever think of the bakers? He had been told of one I baker who made between £40,000 and £50,000 in a few years. What they should do was to stick to the Government and demand a minimum of 6s per bushel. He had been told that much of the bread used in Auckland was made from Canadian Hour. Mr Meek: There is Canadian flour sold in Oamaru at the present time. Mr J. G. Ruddenklau endorsed the statements of Messrs Meek and Forrester. He stated that he would be surprised if farmers sold their wheat at less than 6s per bushel. A definite scheme would be put forward at a further meeting to be held in Ashburton on January 23. It was hoped that this scheme would be made applicable to the coming season’s wheat. A little finance was required. The Farmers’ Union should not bear the whole of the expense. It was thought that ♦ levy of Ad per sack on wheat would be sufficient. This matter would be considered at the Ashburton meet'jig. He w'ould like an expression of opinion from the North Otago wheatgrowers. Mr J. E. Tallentire said he was strongly in favour of a pool. What was required, however, was confidence in the pool. He mentioned his own experience of selling last season. He pointed out that there had been a drought in Australia and floods in America. The duty of a pool should be to secure advice concerning the world markets. They should not have in view the exploiting of the consumers. The Chairman stated that the Wheat tee be thanked for its past efforts, and be considered that the local committee should carry on. Mr Dick moved that the local committee be thanked for its past efforts,, and be requested to continue to act. Mr Dick said he was strongly in favour of a pool, if the wheat came upon the market with a rush, the millers could not be blamed for exploiting the producers. He had every confidence in the Ashburton Com- | mittee. Mr D. Rogers seconded the motion. Mr W. Forrester did not think it possible to form a wheat pool this season. The Farmers’ Union should continue to make its investigations. The resolution of Mr Dick was carried unanimously. Mr Forrester moved that the Farmers* Union executive continue its investigations in regard to a wheat pool. Mr Meek said the investigations be continued, and the motion was there-' fore not pressed. On the motion of Mr Meek, it was resolved: “That this meeting of North Otago wheatgrowers notice that tho North Island merchants are endeavouring to bring pressure on the Government to alter tho wheat duties as passed last session. It is the unanimous opinion of this meeting that the Government should adhere to the present tariff as fair and equitable to all concerned.”

AGRICULTURAL ANO PASTORAL NEWS. It is estimated that at the moment there are some 40.000 bales of wool in Dunedin stores, worth at present-day values anything around £1,000,000. Mr Janies Walker, for some time manager of the ' Pine Bush Dairy Factory, has been appointed manager of Barry's Bay Factory, a six-vat factory. At a recent Scottish displenish sale, a motor car, a horse, and a Border Leicester ewe made the aggregate sum of 37s 6d —£1 for the ear, 12s 6d for the horse, and 5s for the ewe.

It is announced that the bulk of the contract for the supply of 8000 tons of frozen beef to the British War Office for the Home Command has been let to Thos. Borthwick and Sons, Ltd. The contract is for six months, deliveries commencing on January 1. Messrs Borthwick held the major portion of this contract last year. The October (1927) Journal of the Red Poll Breed Cattle of Great Britain and Ireland is an interesting compilation containing a number of facts relating to this dual purpose breed in various parts of the world. An article on animal genetics. by A. D. Buchanan-Smith, of the Animal Breeding Research Department, Edinburgh, is timely, . and will be read with interest by breeders engaged in the practical art of animal breeding. The hon. editor of the journal is Captain F. W. Winterbotham, Coberley, Gloucester, England.

Through Dennys. Lascelles, Ltd,,. Geelong, Mr Thomas Millear. of Willaura, has donated £SOO for pastoral research (says the Australasian). The donation y ill bo

Jianded over to the pastoral research appeal fund, which is attempting to raise £200,000 so that the interest can be utilised-in research work. The suggestion i has been made that graziers should give the equivalent to 2s a bale of wool on the 1927 clip. Applications for various positions in the ' Massey Agricultural College (writes our London correspondent on December 14) are being invited by the Government. The positions include lectureships in inorganic chemistry and soil chemistry, in botany ©nd field husbandry, agricultural economics and bookkeeping, veterinary science end animal husbandry, agricultural bacteriology ©nd agricultural zoology. Each of these lectureships carries a salary of £7OO a year. Applications are to be received in London by February 20, and in New Zealand by March 15. The advertisement is appearing in the Times, the Scotsman, Glasgow Herald, Belfast Telegraph, and all the leading agricultural journals, incuding the journal of the Ministry of Agriculture. The position of director of the Massey College at a salary of £1250 was advertised some time ago, and applications are due on December 24.

_ Oat crops in Edendale are looking particularly well just now, and heavy crops pf hay are general throughout the district.

While the general quality of the sheep being received at the Tokomaru Bay freezing works is stated to be good, it is reported that the animals have been a little lighter than usual this season (states the Poverty Bay Herald). There are evidences now, however, that the carcasses will be more weighty for the. remainder of the season, and already there has been an improvement in this respect. Truly the days are long for a supplier in a small dairying community not many miles from Invercargill (say’s the Southland Times). Long before the inauguration of daylight saving he had anticipated the passing of the Summer Time Bill by advancing his clock one hour. When the Act finally came into force, he came to the conclusion that his previous plan of working an hour ahead was more suitable to his interests, and consequently advanced his clock another hour so that he is now working to a schedule of two hours ahead of standard time. A very substantial increase "in production output and a steady growth in the number of suppliers . are features in the recent operations of the Masterton Dairy Company. “ Two years ago I was told that there was no chance of England taking her allocation of 42 per cent., of Nauru phosphate,” stated Mr J. H. Absolum to members of the Hawke's Bay A. and P. Society the other day. “ Now we see it stated in the cable messages,” he continued, “ that Mr Baldwin is considering whether the. Old Country should take its quota. New- Zealand and Australia are now using all the phosphate they can get, and if w-e lose this 42 per cent, the price of phosphate is going to rise again. Canlicit we make some move to get the whole of the Nauru quota, because we want it? ” The meeting decided to write the Department of Agriculture urging it to take some steps in the matter.

When Mr J. Fraser, manager of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board, met members of the Farmers’ Union and Sheep Owners’ Federation in Gisborne the other day, it was suggested that the board should go further in the matter combining small parcels of meat for export (states the Herald). This was done at present to a certain extent for the convenience of shipping and selling, and during the discussion it was suggested that much work might be saved if the whole of the shipments from one freezing works could be combined for the purpose of shipment and sale. However, after further discussion and explanations by Mr Fraser, it was agreed that it would be unwise to make any alteration in the present methods. The Dannevirke A. and P. Association decided at a recent meeting (says the Dominion’s correspondent) not to include whippet racing in its show programme, on the ground that it would entail too much delay in getting through the events. South Canterbury farmers are complaining loudly concerning the havoc that is being wrought by small birds among the early-ripening cereal crops (says the Timaru Herald). It is stated that the small bird nuisance is worse this season than ever it has been in South Canterbury, qnd that some of the early oat crops, which promised to yield well, will now scarcely be worth cutting. The need for concerted action of farmers to destroy small birds in the winter months is urged. The younger the grass the better the hay, is a maxim little known in Auckland farm's, although it is fairly commonly recognised that if the growth is allowed to stand until the seed falls the soluble cellulose, sugar, and other elements become indigestible and woody, when they have been allowed to cure through the autumn. Till recent years it was a common practice fr Auckland farmers to build large stacks, but of late the pressing of hay has beocmo popular, and the well-thatched stack of symmetrical appearance has not been prominent upon the provincial landscape (states an exchange). There are still farmers who believe in the old-time type of stack, and with them pressed hay is not popular. The unusual sight of a motor car pulling a hayrake around a field in a New Plymouth suburban farmlet was presented the other day (says the Taranaki News). The farmer got through his work in about half the time it generally takes with the horse-drawn rake.

“ Less hay and more ensilage appears to be the slogan of the up-to-date man on the land (says the Waipa Post). No doubt the loss of hay through internal combustion, combined with the difficulty of getting it cut and stacked just at the right time and under the right conditions, has had a lot to do with the choice of the latter in preference to the former method of conserving surplus grass fodder for the winter needs of farm live stock. Another factor is the difficulty entailed by harvesting hay on the community plan through lack of suitable or cheap labour procurable on the individual farms. In the making of ensilage the process is lees hurried, almost any green fodder may be used—such as the rough toppings of the pasture, thistles, etc. —and, what is most important of all, it can be made in almost any weather. ‘I do,not remember having seen clover B® plentiful as it is this 'season,’’ stated © well-known farmer of the Waimumu dis

trict to a reporter at the Gore stock sale recently. The farmer went on to remark that there had been an exceptionally good growth of grass in recent weeks and everything pointed to there being a plentiful supply of winter feed. Turnip crops, how ever, would benefit considerably from a good heavy fall of rain.