WHEAT GROWING.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 16 December 1925, Page 6

WHEAT GROWING.

To the Editor of the “Timam Herald.’. 3 Sir, —TJie Minister of Agriculture, lias announced that the Cabinet has agreed to the proposal, all at tho Government take control of the marketing of the wheat crop for the coming season. The prices . arranged*, --for are 6s 5d Tuscan, 6s 7d Hunters, and Cs 9d Velvet, f.0.b., sacks extra.' Tlie Minister draws attention to the fact that theso prices are at -.jt-ho present time below importing parity. I think most farmers -.wi11./ agree with me that at least 7s a bushel was needed last year to' malm wheat-growing a payablo proposition. Tho miijers’ association attempted to fix the prices, without consulting the fanners (although we were supposed to have a free market) at I think 6s 3d for Tuscan, etc. Finding that tho majority of the farmers would not sell -at these prices) except those who for Jinancial’or other pressing roasons were forced to- sell, they eventually raised tho. price to what they opened at; viz., 7s per bushel.

At the meeting of those interested in wheat growing, Jield ,at .Ashburton last week, you report-.-that"the' following resolution was carried. —“That the Government he asked to fix the .prices of tho 1926-27 crop at 7s, t 7s- '2d, and 7s 4d f.o.b. Seeing that at least Vs was needed and eventually given for last ■season’s whoat? Judging from the outfor the .1926-27 crop, then whs’ should less than 7s .be given for the coming seasons’ wheat? Judging frbin^the outlook of the coming . easbii we will hardly lio ve enough wheat to ' apply more than half the requirements of the-country. What wheat is in, has been put iu against very adverse weather conditions, and has been a costly crop for those who have struggled, along and got it in. Surely if 'at. apy .time. wheat is to be a gooaC;puice, is the season above other,?'when "It should, be so, at any rate I do not see'why TV.should be below tho present ,iinpbrting parity, which has more chance of being higher than less later on. I am sure there is many a crop this year that .would not pay if wheat was 10s a bushel. Let us hope in the future that by the use of tractors and other improvements in the way of machinery tne cost of wheat-growing will lie reduced, and that money at a reasonable rate 1 of in-

terest (not more than 5 per ce;it on first securities) will be available to develop the farms. The last T-named I. believe is the most .important, as a farm starved for 'want of capital to develop it moans a farm deteriorating, Most of the land at the. present day in Canterbury is worth.tlie Government valuation with money at five per cent; High interest ihcans depreciated land values, especially when as the Labour Party claim (and I believe truly) tlie greater part of the country is mort-gage-hold. ; Money has been called the sinews of war. truly 'money at a reasonable rate of interest would he the lifo-blood of many Now Zealand farms.—l am etc.) H. M. VERRALL : December 10. - ,