PRICE OF WHEAT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIV, Issue 21052, 2 June 1938, Page 8

PRICE OF WHEAT

NO INCREASE LIKELY DEPUTATION TO MINISTER FAILS No increase in the price of wheat for this season may be expected according to statements made at a meeting of the South Canterbury Provincial Executive of tire Farmers’ Union jn Timaru yesterday, when Mr L. V. Talbot, outlined th steps taken by the Electoral Committee to induce the Minister of Commerce, the Hon. D G. Sullivan, to accede to the request of the growers for an increase hi price m view of the increased costs and problems which confronted the growers. “If the wheat industry is to be maintained it is essential that growers, who intend to continue growing, should grow all the wheat they can if the present price will pay them.” said Mr Talbot, who proceeded to give an outline of the action taken by the full Electoral Board in meeting the Minister of Commerce recently in an endeavour to have the price for the season increased. South Canterbuiy was represented by 1 Ir J. Hay and himself, and the deputation which waited on the Minister was a fully representative one. All aspects of the problems confronting growers were placed before the Minister. Increased costs, higher wages and indirect increased costs were fully discussed, and it was further pointed out that further increases were expected before next harvest. Reference had also been made to the domest'c side of harvesting and the problems that confronted the growers’ wives. Particular stress was laid on the problems of the small grower, who was not in a position to have labour saving appliances. The small grower formed a large proportion of the growers as a whole. “We also stressed the national importance of the wheat industry and the need for the rural population to be maintained.” said Mr Talbot, who pointed out that the difficulty of securing labour had not been overlooked, it being pointed out that growers had teams idle because a man working on the road on a tractor received about £5 or £5 10/- for a 40-hour week, while a man driving a team on a farm was paid about £3 a week and had to work about 60 hours a week. “Definitely Side-tracked "It was stressed that it was unreasonable to expect industry to carry on under such adverse conditions.” said Mr Talbot. “It was also stated that some fanners sons were feeling the urge to get off the land because of the more attractive conditions that prevailed in the towns. We also made special reference to the fact that headers cannot be used universally in South Canterbury. Every point that we could think of was brought up, and when the Minister replied he did not reply to the various points that we had brought up.” declared Mr Talbot. "He spoke of his own difficulties. le apparently has to combat opposition, and it is possible that he has put up a good fight for us, but he definitely side-tracked the points raised by us. He pointed out that we had got a total embargo which in the past has been a good thing to us ” continued Mr Talbot. "He stressed the fact that ; wheat could be imported cheaper tlian it could be grown in New Zealand. He said that he would do the best he could for us but he gave us to understand that because of the opposition he had to contend with and the pressure from the North Island he could not give us much chance of having the pnce increased.” “The Minister mentioned, probably with some justification, areas where modern machinery can operate at the present price at a reasonable profit” said Mr Hay. “That is so. but the areas are limited and could not supply the needs of the whole of New Zealand. The Minister realises there are difficulties in South Canterbury, but he is not prepared to meet the situation. I was very disappointed at the attitude of the Minister, who completely avoided the points put to him. He made it definite that we cannot expect an increase in price. 1 '