WHEAT GROWERS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXL, Issue 20283, 5 December 1935, Page 5

WHEAT GROWERS

THE ELECTORAL COMMITTEE THE YEAR REVIEWED Special to " The Timaru Herald " CHRISTCHURCH, December 4. The third annual meeting of the Electoral Committee of the United Wheatgrowers (New Zealand) was held in Christchurch to-day, the chair being occupied by Mr H. P. Nicoll (Ashburton). Every electoral district was represented. Apologies were received from Messrs W. W. Mulholland, A. Craig, W. R. Wedge, D. H. Milne, G. Mclntosh and C L. Marshall. Chairman's Address. In his address, the chairman said that the resolution passed by this Electoral Committee last October regarding wheat marketing for 1935 was duly placed before the Prime Minister, and the Government decided to reenact the Board of Trade (wheat) regulations for the 1934-35 crop. The scheme continued to work smoothly, and ap Order-in-Council was passed renewing the Board’s constitution for this year. If the meeting considered that the work of the Board had been satisfactory and of material assistance to wheatgrowers, it might be wise to passed a resolution to that effect and to authorise the directors to interview the Government again with regard to the future activities of the Wheat Purchase Board. Mr Nicoll recalled that the matter of Fire and Hail Insurance against damage to wheat crops was discussed by the Electoral Committee and the further consideration was left in the hands of the directors. They gave a good deal of time and investigation to thb important question, and finally arrived at the unanimous conclusion that any such compulsory scheme was quite impracticable. In accordance with various suggestions put forward last year by wheatgrowers, the question of control of all wheat by the Wheat Purchase Board had also been considered by the directors, but after discussing it unofficially with the Minister of Industries and Commerce, they did not proceed. There were movements in other quarters, notably poultrykeepers’ organisations, to give the Board contrpl of all wheat and the directors considered it better to allow suggestions to go to the Government from other interested sources rather than from themselves at the present time. Fowl Wheat. The chairman said that the Wheat Purchase Board carried over from 1934 680,000 bushels of f.a.q. wheat. Early in the year it was obvious that there would be a shortage of fowl wheat for feeding purposes, and it appeared that this class of wheat which was then largely in merchants' hands would be quoted at such a price as to raise protests throughout the country from poultrykeepers and others. The Wheat Purchase Board, supported by both the committee’s representatives on that Board, and the directors in United Wheatgrowers, resolved to sell its surplus milling wheat for fowl feed purposes at a price relative to the f.a.q. wheat, in order to assist the poultrykeepers and others using fowl wheat. The effect of this was to secure the goodwill of poultrykeepers and others, and certain poultry organisations who had previously opposed the sliding scale of duties owing to interested and inaccurate propaganda had now expressed their desire to cooperate with the wheatgrower in support of the protection of wheatgrowing in New Zealand. The importation of Canadian and American wheat and flour had continued during the year in spite of the efforts of the Wheat Purchase Board to curtail its use. The directors had been active in an endeavour to convince the Government as to the desirability of the use of bread improvers as the only effective means of inducing bakers to use New Zealand flour without the addition of overseas mixtures. Meetings with the Master Bakers’ Association were held and the Board cabled Messrs Forbes and Coates requesting them to look into the matter while they were in London, and a deputation waited upon the Prime Minister on his return to New Zealand. It was believed from what they learned in London from the scientists and experts that the Government had decided to agree to the use of bread improvers in New Zealand, and no doubt when the new Government was able to give time to the consideration of this important matter it would take a like attitude, and this should have the effect of considerably reducing the quantity of imported flour into the Dominion. The chairman explained that an election of a new Electoral Committee should have been held this year, but. as the Bill for the transfer of funds from the Wheat Marketing Agency Company Limited to United Wheatgrowers was to come before Parliament at the last session it was considered inadvisable to raise the question of election while the Bill was before the House. The Bill was handled by Mr H. S. S. Kyle, M.P., as a Private Bill, and was read a first time. Unfortunately after the first reading one or two stock agents acting on incorrect information concerning the use of the funds organised a vigorous opposition, with a result that for political reasons the Bill was shelved. The actual position having since been placed before the Stock and Station Agents the opposition had been withdrawn and the directors would'ask the Government to pass the Bill during next session. He asked the meeting to join in a hearty vote of thanks to the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates for his consistent support of wheatgrowers. “This cannot have been an easy policy for him to pursue in view of the powerful Auckland interests which endeavoured to sway him against us, yet Mr Coates having decided in his own mind that the protection of the wheatgrower was the right policy, never wavered in his attitude and we owe him our gratitude.” The ex-Prime Minister, Mr Forbes, also was of equal strength to the cause, but growers looked on Mr Forbes more as one of themselves in being a Canterbury farmer and so of his own knowledge and understanding was in sympathy with their problems. It was fitting also that an Association which was entirely nonparty, should congratulate the new Government on its great success at the polls and should offer to co-operate with it in every possible way. Future Prospects. Mr Nicoll said that the attitude of the new Government towards the wheatgrowers had not yet been defined, but they had little doubt but that according to the public utterance of Mr M. J. Savage, they would find him willing to co-operate with the directors in the protection of the industry which is of such great importance to the agricultural and industrial life of New Zealand. Wheatgrowers must be of one mind in maintaining resolutely that union of forces which was so necessary to consolidate their position and the necessity for which had been amply proved of late years, and they as the direct representatives

of all the wheatgrowers in the Dominion. over 7000, should be able to obtain a fair meaure of consideration from the Government. All people of goodwill in every party would agree that while much has been done to relieve distress and provide employment in the agricultural community there was room for new and comprehensive measures which would enable farmers to undertake further work, which, with sufficient encouragement, they could boldly undertake with a well considered forward policy, and so do their full share in the absorption of the unemployed. There would be no lack of determination on the part of our agriculturists to do their part if once their pre-occupation with economic affairs was further lightened. Mr Nicoll said it was with regret that he had to refer to the death since last meeting of Mr F. W. Ruddenklau, of Winchmore, who was a member of the original Electoral Committee. Mr Ruddenklau was one of the Association’s stalwarts, a man who won the respect and esteem of all who knew him. Directors Elected. The directors all retired but offered themselves for re-election and were unanimously returned to office. The directorate comprises: Messrs H. F. Nicoll (Ashburton), R. T. McMillan (Irwell), W. W. Mulholland (Darfield), James Carr (Methven), Alan Grant (Waimate), A. Craig (Balclutha) and Alfred Fisher (Culverden). The meeting passed the following resolution to be forwarded to the new Prime Minister: “That this meeting of the Electoral Committee of United Wheatgrowers, representing the Dominion wheatgrowers, congratulates Mr M. J. Savage and his colleagues on their great success at the elections and assures him of their desire to cooperate with him and his Government for the general welfare.” Eulogistic reference was made to the work of Mr Nicoll and a letter to the deputy-chairman (Mr R. T. McMillan) from Mr W. W. Mulholland, asking the meeting to express appreciation of Mr Nicoll’s work as chairman of directors, was read by the deputy-chairman. The meeting also carried a motion making acknowledgement of the services given by all the retiring directors. Danger of Skeleton Weed. Concern was expressed at the danger of skeleton weed being imported into New Zealand with Australian wheat now being sold in the North Island as fowl feed, and the directors were instructed to point out this danger to the proper authorities. The directors advised that an election for the new Electoral Committee would be held next year. At a subsequent meeting of the MidCanterbury delegates Mr Hunter Morris was elected chairman of the Mid-Canterbury section of the Electoral Committee in place of Mr F. W. Ruddenklau.