THE WHEAT QUESTION

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 22, 18 August 1932, Page 5

THE WHEAT QUESTION

WELLINGTON TOPICS

PRIME MINISTER OBDURATE (Special Correspondent) - I In spite of representations that have been made to him from Auckland and from other parts of the North. Island, Mr. Forbes remains obdurate in his determination not to review the question of wheat duties during the approaching session of Parliament, and apparently his decision has the approval not only of his colleagues in the Cabinet, but also of a majority of the rank and file of the House. The Auckland Chamber of Commerce has protested strongly against the determination of the Prime Minister andhis colleagues, and its president has submitted to the Cabinet reasons for a review of the situation which certainly appear entitled .to attention. He points out that the present rate of duty, equivalent to 70 per cent, ad valorem, keeps up the cost of living unduly, makes the revision of wages difficult and so retards, the reduction of productive costs. * * * Why Wheat Farmers Alone? ; It is little wonder that the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, representing both commercial and agricultural interests, should ask for the why and the wherefore of the distribution of privileges to wheatgrowers. "The yield of wheat lands per acre in New Zealand," it declares, "is some four times as great as the yield per. acre in Australia, and no protection should be necessary. Pastoral farm-' ers are being ruined while the wheat farmer is being maintained iu a privileged position, and some of the rank and file of the population are on. the starvation line." This statement obviously is a little extravagant. The average yield of wheat in New Zealand year in and year out is not four times as great as that in Australia, and the pastoral farmer here is pastoral by his own choice

Wheat Production In this connection it has to be remembered that the great bulk of the wheat grown in this country is harvested in the district of Canterbury. The latest figures available at "tne moment are those for the season 1928-29, which will show how markedly this is the case: North Auckland 66 acres, 1790 bushels; Auckland 137 acres, 3290 bushels; Gisborne 112 acres, 2430 bushels; Hawke's Bay 625 acres, 15,359 bushels; Taranaki 110 acres, 4373 bushels; Wellington 2542 acres, 87,368 bushels; Nelson 1686 acres, 45,552 bushels; Marlborough 5017 acres, 142,392 bushels; Westland, nil; Canterbury 212,098 acres, 7,467,943 bushels; Otago, 29,207 acres, 926,789 bushels; and Southland 3712 acres, 134,578 bushels. From these figures it will be seen that of 255,312 acres planted in the Dominion 212,098 acres were in Canterbury and of 5,832,564 bushels harvested 79,060,075 bushesl were gathered in the same provincial district. » * * Growth and Decline In 1892 the coutnry's wheat crop, from 402,27 S acres of land reached 10,275,73 S bushels, with an average of 25.50 bushels an acre, and seven years later a crop from 399,034 acres ran into 13,078,416 bushels with an average of 32.76 bushels per acre, the peak of wheat crops in the land. By this time meat had made its way definitely among the exports of the country, actually challenging wool, with butter and cheese and even with fruit to follow. For the present, however, it all comes back to the "six thousand farmers" whom, Mr. Forbes says, would walk off their farms were they deprived of any further part of the subsidy they are enjoying from the hands of other workers who do not happen to have entrenched themselves behind wheat, which they doubtless regard literally as the "staff of life" —not necessarily the privilege of a minority.