THE WHEAT SUPPLY.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVI, Issue 16356, 4 October 1917, Page 2

THE WHEAT SUPPLY.

THE-SHORTAGE ATST) THE BOARD ,'<,"«' -OF TRADE. ' ; ' .; i} TIMARU MILLER'S OFFER'. [ " [ ' During the past few weeks brokers' and merchants have been inundated with inquiries for wheat by southern millers, who have stated that unless immediate supplies are forthcoming, they will have to shut down. Acting on the suggestion of the Prime Minister, a Timaru miller who took the precaution to buy heavily early in the season, and who -as a consequence now has sufficient wheat on hand to last him till Christmas, offered to lend one of the out-of-wheat southern millers a large quantify on condi-:, tion that the borrower gave himVaii equivalent in Australian wheat as soon as the Government are able 1 to get mora of their Australian wheat over here. As trafficking in wheat is not allowed, the sanction of the Board of Trade was sought to this arrangement, as well as its promise that Australian wheab would he landed at Oamaru or Timaru.for the replacement of the wheat so lent. For five days a reply to these requests has -been-awaited* but only vague and unsatisfactory statements have been forthcoming. ' Ic is difficult to imagine a simpler request than that of the two miller!? concerned, and surprise is expressed that the Board of Trade should apparently he unable o<r unwilling to handle such a small matter in a businesslike way. The Board's failure to give a prompt and definite decision is the more to be regretted by reason of the fact that the miller who offered to lend the wheat was actuated by a desire to rerspond to Mr Massey's appeal when he asked millers who had plenty of wheat to'be "sports enough" to help others; less fortunately placed to keep their •hands employed and their mills ruhning. .. ■ '■. . . .■-'[■,..„]"