MARKETING WHEAT.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 3 May 1926, Page 13

MARKETING WHEAT.

CONFERENCE TO BE HELD. DISCUSSION IN CHRISTCHURCH Reporting on behalf of the np;viciiltural committee of tiio executive of the North Canterbury branch of the Farmers’ Union, Mr AV. \V. Mulholland said that steps were ' being taken to arrange for informal discussions by associations interested in wheat growing. The object was to ascertain if there was a sufficient desire to warrant a definite attempt being .made at establishing an organisation for their protection. .Once they discovered that there was such a desire amongst the growers it would he easy to set up the Ini(*s along which the orgau.satiou would work. When the time came for holding a conference it would have behind it the definite opinions (if growers throughout the Dominion. The market here would be looked on as the basis, regardless of any surplus for export. Speaking personally,,and not for tho committee, Mr Mulholland said, that from information lie had received there was going to. he an unusually large quantity of .wheat grown this year. J here was already a great .deal in the ground, and a lot of land had been prepared for growing. Jit March next year there might be a grave uncertainty as to a surplus. That would be a bad thing for growers, as it would have an ill effect on their prices. That was one of the .strongest reasons why tile organisation was necessary.

He did not think the growers desired a pool which was going to operate in the same way as they were operating in Australia. They wanted au organisation, however, that would |be powerful, enough to act in any crisis. The organisation would have to be free from any outside infinence, a lid would look . solely to the interests of growers. ■'Regarding finance the members should pay a membership lee of, say, .£l. or £2 per annum, together with levies which could he collected by the stock and station agents whose clients the growers happened to he. These levies would only be made for the purpose of assisting the organisation in any particular direction. 'I he best levy would be one on the bushel. Funds sliQuld be held in reserve to ('liable the organisation to step 'in at a critical ti.HK' and purchase wheat. Ho had heard that day that 2d more per bushel was being; paid in Tiumru, and that there was a distinct hardening of the market in Christchurch. file president (Mr J. !). Hall), said it. was necessary to see that the present season's wheat not sacrificed. Regarding the future. whaL they had to ascertain was what was in the minds of the majority of the growers, whether they thought they could handle' their

wheat better as individuals than h organisation. The (lay might come when without organisation they would have to’.suffer. It would have, to be decided whether iliev would get enough members to I -mi a pool and make iuI vostigations :'-gsrikug prices. 1 Mr A. M. enter said there was a l.stir in his dbtriet in connection with ! the proposed organisation. A deputation was going to the Ho . eminent this ' week ('u the question' of duties on Hour. ! Tim Minister of' Agri- nlt un- had announced that- next year duties acre to be impo-ed on milling wheat and fowl wheat. This would have an effect on the organisation. If an import duty was also pul on flour it would make a .difference to the price of wheat, that was going to he grown here. Tin' branches should consider the question and bring recommendations before tb” conference. .Mr .Mulholland said they were healin'" the millers-hands down. Mr 11. Oliver said a section of the . farmers would go with the A. and P.

Association and-not with tho Farmers’ Union, '.they would have to take the A. and I'. .Association with them. The recommendation of the agricultural committee that a conference be field was adopted.