NEXT SEASON’S WHEAT CROP.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 30, Issue 29, 16 April 1918, Page 4

NEXT SEASON’S WHEAT CROP.

GUARANTEED MINIMUM OP 6s 4d PER BUSHEL. Members of the Canterbury branches of the Farmer' Union met the Minister for Agriculture in conference recently regarding the price to be fixed by the Government for wheat. It was announced that as a result the Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald had agreed to give farmers 6s 4d per bushel as a guaranteed minimum for next season's wheat crop, in addition to which the market is to be left entirely open. The Minister, speaking to a reporter, said that the whole of the farmers at the conference, once an agreement was come to, had expressed their desire to help in every way to see that as much wheat as possible should be put in for the coming season. He felt confident, now that the matter was finally agreed upon, that the whole of the farmers would try to rise to the occasion. It was very important that a reasonable quantity of wheat should be grown in the country. He did not anticipate, even at the new price, that sufficient would be grown for home requirements, but the bulk would be.

Questioned regarding the position of millers next year, the Minister said that some arrangement would have to be made regarding the distribution of wheat. He took it that millers would have the option of bringing up to their own requirements. The matter would have to be thought out. They would be free to buy from the farmers, and the price they would pay would be influenced largely by the amount of wheat grown. Mr D. Jones, president of the Farmers’ Union, said that farmers now had a minimum without a maximum. The Government had also agreed, for the future protection of wheat growers in New Zealand, to consider the question of placing the New Zealand and Australian tariffs in regard to wheat and flour on the same level.