WHEAT QUESTION.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 19 March 1927, Page 8

WHEAT QUESTION.

SCHEME FOR SETTLEMENT OF DIFFICULTY SUGGESTED.

PRIME MINISTER TO BE WAITED

The vexed question of the price of wheat for the current season assumed a new aspect yesterday when a scheme under which wheat can be stabilised at an average price of G/- per bushel f.0.b., flour at £l7 per ton, and bread at not more than the present price, was propounded in Timaru, and the details of it have been forwarded to the Prime Minister for his consideration.

It is anticipated that the Premier will he passing through Timaru on Monday next on his way to Invercargill, and a deputation representing the Farmers’ Union and other interests involved will wait upon Mr Coates and ask him to consider the scheme and give his opinion of it when he is passing through Timaru on his return to Wellington. It is understood that the scheme, if adopted by the Government, will involve compensation to those farmers who have sold their wheat at less than G/- per bushel this season.

To this end a movement is afoot to prevail upon the Premier to meet a fullyig&p resent alive gathering of in view of the farreaching importance of the preservation of the wheat-growing industry it is to the interest of growers and those in the milling trade to combine strongly in representing the matter to Mr Coates.

NORTH OTAGO FARMERS WANT

EMBARGO

By Telegraph—Press Association. OAMARU, March IS

A representative gathering of North Otago wheatgrowers to-day, was unanimous in its support of a petition being presented to the Government asking that an embargo be placed on Australian flour. It is hoped to get as many as 3000 signatures to the petition.

The following is the petition: “We, the growers of wheat in North Otago, humbly pray that you will immediately place a total embargo on flour and oats, until such time as we require importation for our needs; and the growers of wheat further wish to point out that oil account of the advancing costs, due to the continued increases in wages granted by the Arbitration Court. :t is practically impossible to c yon the wheatgrowing indust.y on a profitable basis.”

Mr L. Murray said that in the case of there being a shortage this year, and farmers were discouraged from growing wheat the following yeai, what was to become of the industry? It would go out, and the country would suffer in the end. He thought the Minister of Agriculture was wrong in his ideas about an embargo. Mr J. E. Tallentire said that some time ago farmers had received a circular asking them to give employment to those out of work, but how could they do that if their produce was held up? .‘‘l can’t grow wheat at 5/- a bushel, and I can grow it as cheaply as any man in the room,” added Mr Tallentire. Mr H. Walker thought they should strike oats out of the petition. Mr D. J. Ross said that South Otago wanted an. embargo on oats, and North Otago should support them.

The chairman: “We should support the farmers in South Otago, and recommend an embargo on oats.”

The meeting decided to ' include oats in the petition. Mr E. P. Lee, M.P., pointed out that the resolution was suggesting one remedy only, and that was an embargo on flour. He suggested that they should add —“Either an embargo, or other effective means of bringing about the .same results.”

Members thought Mr Leo':; suggestion a good one, and the words, “or other effective moans’’ were added to the resolution. The resolution in its amen.led form was unanimously carried. Mr Ruddenklau said everything they handled was 9 0 per cent, wager, and the Arbitration Court kept on increasing wages. He moved that the meeting express its dissatisfaction with the administration and working of the Arbitration Court in fixing wages on an uneconomic basis of cost of living, instead of ability of the employer to pay, and thud ..lie Minister of Labour be asked to bring about an amendment that. would give the necessary relief, to give farmers a reasonable chance of canning on a profitable business. Mr D. Rodgers thought the matter should be held over till the usual monthly meeting of the Union. Mr Ruddenklau said the question was an urgent on"e, aud be thought a resolution carried by a meeting of farmers would have considerable weight. Mr Ross said that as there was no farm labourers’ award they would not be justified in passing the resolution. ~ . Mr Ruddenklau said it nas tne Arbitration Court that was" keeping up the scale of wages. Mr Forester: “Why not ask foi the abolition of the Arbitration Coui. . Mr Ruddenklau: “I do not know that we should do away with the Court, but it should be administered in a different way.’’ The motion lapsed for want ci .. seconder.