THE WHEAT INDUSTRY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21154, 29 September 1938, Page 3

THE WHEAT INDUSTRY

THE “HANDFUL” OF WHEATGROWERS LARGE NUMBER OP GROWERS It has often been stated by critics of the wheat industry in the North Island that protection is penalising certain branches of industry for the benefit of a “handful” of wheatgrowers on this side of the Strait. The following list, says the “Wheatgrower,” will show the size of this “handful.” It is not suggested that the total of 8331 comprised in the list grow wheat every year, but they have all grown wheat in the last three years, and on an average well over 7000 farmers grow wheat every year. Wheat growing is, the main source of income with a big proportion of these farmers, and an important part with others, and when the families of these 8000 odd fa-mers, the labour employed in cropping and harvesting, the cost of the machinery used and the breeding of horses, the sacks and other incidentals, not to mention the flour milling costs are considered, it can be realised that this “handful’ of people dependent on wheat growing reaches large proportions. Tire list is as follows: No. of Growers North Island 319 Marlborough and Nelson .. .. 362 North Canterbury (between Rakaia and Conway rivers) .. 2799 Mid-Canterbury (between Rakaia and Rangitata rivers).. 1192 South Canterbury (between Rangitata and Waitaki rivers) 1959 North Otago (between Waitaki river and Kartigi) 647 Otago (that country for which Dunedin is the nearest port) 656 Southland (that country for which Bluff is the nearest port) 397 8331