WHEAT STANDARD

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19803, 19 May 1934, Page 3

WHEAT STANDARD

POSITION EXPLAINED TO MINISTER CLAIMS OF DISTRICT PRESENTED Representations urging that the lowering of the wheat standard this season should be favourably considered were recently made on behalf of the wheat-growers of South Canterbury, to the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Hon. R. Masters, M.L.C.) by Mr T. D. Burnett, M.P., for Temuka. In his letter Mr Burnett said. “I desire to draw your attention to the present position of South Canterbury Wheatgrowers, a large proportion of whom have still this season’s wheat on hand and probably a considerable percentage still to thresh. After May 15 the Wheat Purchase Board is to insist on all wheat taken over by the Board to be full 611 b and f.a.q. Hitherto wheat taken over by millers on account of the Board, the regulations governing same have not been too rigorously interpreted, but as now praeticaliy all wheat coming forward will be 59 to 601 b. weight, a great number of growers will be penalised through having later wheat that in the earlier months' of the wheat season, would invariably be taken over by the Board and was taken over by the millers as part of their allotment. “Consequently a number of the most careful farmers who stacked their crops instead of stook threshing are now confronted with having to accept fowl wheat prices for grain that earlier in the season would have undoubtedly been accepted by the millers for milling purposes. I may point out that no f.a.q. could be obtained, or very little, to fill shipping orders in March, but local millers' were readily accepting this wheat. “Generally speaking climatic conditions over tlie whole of the South Island this season have not been conducive to throwing up a good wheat sample, and I would suggest that a conference be arranged between growers and millers to see if some arrangement could not be come to about a somewhat lower grade of wheat being accepted for milling purposes from now on. “I would also point out that the grower in South Canterbury has not yet recovered from the dreadful losses of the drought of 1931, and moreover, one of the most hopeful factors in helping the dairying industry to-day would be to impart a greater measure of stability to the wheat industry and so dispose of thousands of dairy cows depasturing on dry lands suitable for wheat-growing and lamb raising.’ Minister’s Reply. Mr Masters replied as follows: — “I duly received yours of May 11, in regard to the purchase of wheat which is not up to the standard laid down in the Wheat Regulations. I understand the difficulty .which exists in this connection and I am informed that the Wheat Purchase Board at its meeting on Thursday next, the 17th instant, will be discussing the points at issue. “I have no doubt that the Board in its desire to do the best possible for wheat-growers as a whole will give full consideration to the representations which have been made by yourself and others and I hope that it may be possible to overcome the difficulty at least to some extent. “As you are aware, of course, the Regulations definitely lay down a weight standard for f.a.q. wheat and unless this is fairly closely adhered to for wheat which may have to be exported considerable difficulty may “As above mentioned, however, the matter is one for the Board's attention and the subject has been set down for consideration on Thursday next.” “ Evasive.” Asked to comment on the Minister’s reply, one who is closely associated with the wheat industry in this district, told a representative of “The Timaru Herald” that the bogey raised by the Minister in regard to the surplus, could hardly be seriously considered. For the Minister to hint that the Wheat Purchase Board intended to ship any surplus could scarcely be reconciled with the action of the Board last season in carrying over a surplus. The reply, he considered, was rather evasive. From figures supplied by the Government Statistician, it was understood that a surplus of 1,000,000 bushels had been included in last year’s carry-over. If that policy were again carried out there would be no wheat for export this year. If the Pool had wanted to get rid of last year’s surplus it would have done so, but apparently it was playing safe with the country by holding the surplus it did. Had the Board desired to rid itself of the balance of last season’s surplus, a good opportunity had presented itself when wheat reached a dollar a bushel in America. “It would appear,” he continued, “that the policy of the Board is to carry forward a surplus, and if that is so this season the wheat will not require to be shipped out of the country, and lines a little below standard could quite easily be accepted under the scheme, which, we are told, was instituted in the interests of the grower.” Last year, it was also pointed out, the Board must have been aware, when carrying over a surplus, what the yields were likely to be this year.