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Timaru Herald, Volume CLI, Issue 22200, 18 February 1942, Page 3

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Wheatgrowers Are Astounded Apparently Not Essential Industry Security for this season’s crops seems to be in sight and farmers were making plans for next season’s sowing, said Mr A. J. Davey (South Canterbury and North Otago representative on the Dominion Executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union) in an interview. A statement setting out the quantity of wheat and other crops to be sown this year has been made by the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. J. G. Barclay), but, if the specified area is to be sown, adequate labour of a suitable nature will have to be provided for farmers. It is not possible for this area to be sown with the amount of fuel at present granted to farmers on licence. Most wheatgrowers were astounded when no mention was made of wheatgrowing in the list of essential industries published recently. The growing of wheat entails hard work, takes a lot out of the ground and, with costs as they are at present, does not yield as good a profit to the farmer as certain other crops. The Government’s present attitude in impressing farmers’ trucks, cutting down the amount of fuel allowed, the lack of suitable manpower and the added time and worry of filling in a multitude of forms is all going towards the discouragement of wheatgrowing. There is no doubt that wheatgrowers will require as much consideration and assistance as possible from the Government if the increased area called for is to be even attempted.