The Star WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 1918. THE WHEAT QUESTION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12288, 10 April 1918, Page 4

The Star WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 1918. THE WHEAT QUESTION.

Yo hope that tho conference held in Christchurch yesterday between • the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon W D. S. Mac Donald, and a section of those interested in wheat growing will bear good fruit. Up to the present, it must bo confessed, this very grave problem has been handled, or rather mishandled, in a manner which has reflected little credit on any of tho parties immediately concerned. To-day, after three and a half years of war, we do not know where we stand regarding wheat and flour supplies. The statistics which have from time to time been issued by the Government have been misleading, and even in the light of past mistakes wo have no assurance that the statistics of 1918 are more reliable than those of 1915 or 1916. We cannot regard yesterday's conference ns having been fully representative of the wheat growers of the northern part of the province. The Farmers’ Union cannot speak for the farmers of the province on bloc, but for a small section only. However, there wore difficulties in the way. and perhaps, the Minister found it impossible to secure a fully representative conference. Unquestionably the wheat problem is one of the most grave with which we have been faced, and although the decision of tho Minister to advance the minimum price of next year’s grain from 5 S lOd to 6s Id may do something to induce the farmers to sow additional areas, we doubt whether the price fixed is sufficiently high to ensure a sufficiency being grown to make us independent of outside supplies. We notice that the Minister stated that growers would in .future have a “free market,” and that the price fixed is a minimum. It would appear that in future, instead of making all sales to tho accredited representatives of tho Government, growers will bo at liberty to seek Iho highest market. Although they will have a Government guarantee that they shall' receive at least 6s 4d for whatever wheat of milling quality they may grow, there will bo nothing to prevent them from securing whatever price they can in the open market. It scorns to ns that the reversion to the open market will reopen the avenues for wheat speculation which existed in the “good old days” before the Government decided that the speculative element should be eliminated during the currency of the war. Whilst the decision to revert to the open market will be welcomed by those who are anxious to exploit the public, wo doubt it is a step in the right direction. Tho open market will unquestionably lead to abuses. The great majority of those engaged in the wheat business are honourable men. who would scorn to take advantage of such a time as tho present to exploit the, public; hut there are others who would not scruple to stoop to any means to add to their hanking accounts. Free trade in wheat will lead to abuses, and the inflation of values to an unjustifiable extent,'and wo are afraid that only a small portion of tho increased price will go to the grower, the man who incurs the risk. This is not as it should he. We think that while the Government jvonltl have been well advised to have advanced the price of wheat to 6s 6d, a great mistake has been made in reverting to the open market. Even now' it. may not be too •late for the Minister to take stops to ensure that the proposed concession will not lead to abuses. In a country like Xew Zealand there should be no necessity to go outside for supplies of wheat, and now that the scarcity of shipping is becoming doubly acute it is increasingly necessary that wo should grow sufficient foodstuffs to make ns entirely independent of outside supplies. We hope the latest arrangement with wheat growers will ensure a largo surplus for the year 1918-19.