THE OATS SUPPLY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4011, 18 August 1915, Page 4

THE OATS SUPPLY.

GOVERNMENT MAKING INQUIRIES. iPress Association Teler'ssra WELLINGTON. Aug. 17 "It is very doubtful if the supplier ! of oats iu New Zealand at the present ; time are sufficient for our own roI quirements,” said the Prime Minister ! this evening. “The Government is \in this position: At one end of the : Dominion there are people clamoring ' to have the duty removed in order : that importation may take pit -t- ---: while at the other end of the count y

! people are asking tnat the embargo I should be lifted so that oats may !.«? i exported. The information at the j disposal of the Government indicates | that there is a shortage and that the | embargo on exports should be mainj taiued. It is not as easy to collect ’ precise information regarding stocks j of oat.', as it is to ascertain how much I wheat there is in the Dominion. | Man y people put their eaten sheaves ; into stack and then decide in the f spring either to thresh or make into : chaff. ’ihey are guided by prices, but as far as we can judge. there i>

r barely smithsent either of oats or of ■ oaten ohatf to provide for local iv- : quiremeius. even when allowance has been made for the reduced consumption caused by high prices. We shall know the position better a little later in the season, vwien 1 intend to ask the Registrar-General "to collect information again regarding stocks of • both wisent and oats. If we have moiai oats than v.e require for' local consumption, the embargo on exports will be left to a certain extent. If supplies are still short the embargo will be maintained.""