PRICE OF WHEAT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16336, 27 January 1921, Page 4

PRICE OF WHEAT.

GROWEBS DISSATISFIED.

[From Our Corrbspokdent.] • DUNEDIN, January 26. Mr ,T. A. Mac-.Pherson, president of the Otago Provincial Council of the Farmers™ Union, who represented the council and also the Southland Executive at the Wheat Conference held in Christchurch on .January 10. is keenly disappointed at its outcome, and says that the vast majority of thinking farmers will not consider Jts decision to be in the interests either of the producer, consumer or the Government. There are good grounds for believing that the situation will not remain as it is for vorv long. At a representative conference held iu Timnru on December 8. farmers unanimously decided to nsk the Minister for an early conference with a view to effecting a vn/mtion in the contract "between the Government and the wheat producers: hut pome who voted for this variation at Tima.ru reversed their vote at Christchurch. Farmers view with alarm the intangibility of increased tariff as promised by the Minister, and will not respond to a. production of wheat in. face of the new demands now being made by farm hands, harvesters and mill-owners. _ Something more will have to he done immediately to encourage. wheatgrowing, otherwise the response will he less than hither*o. On Saturday last, at one of the largest) farmers’ meetings ever held in North Otago, it was unanimously resolved that the Government should be asked to reconsider the question nT extending the wheat control to 1921-22 at a reasonable. minimum, before the maximum price for this season is finally decided, with a view to stabilise the industry and encourage production.