RURAL PETROL NEEDS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 133, 17 March 1948, Page 2

RURAL PETROL NEEDS

Rationing System Criticised

OTAGO FARMERS’ VIEWS

(P.A.) DUNEDIN, March 10. Federated Farmers will be asked to bring pressure to bear to have control of petrol rationing decentralised and placed in the bands of competent district committees, similar to those which operated during the war. This decision was made at a meeting of the Otago sub-executive of Federated Farmers in. Dunedin today.

It was also decided that the chairman of the National Aid for Britain Council (Mr E. P. Walsh) be informed immediately that the Otago province is experiencing difficulty with petrol supplies for primary production, those particularly affected being transport operators. Mr C. E. Forsyth, Kelso, said that Mr Walsh, during his recent visit to urge the growing of more wheat, had assured farmers- of an ample supply of petrol. He had said there would he no occasion for them to worry if any difficulties occurred. He had said farmers were to approach the chairman of the Dunedin committee (Mr Burgess). Unfortunately, serious difficulties had arisen, but Mr Burgess was out of town and there Avas no one to act for him. Transport operators could obtain no additional supply when their small allocation was used.

“Wheat Lying in Paddocks”

Mr Forsyth said that in his oavii district between 4000 and 5000 sacks of wheat were lying in paddocks because transport operators had no petrol Avitli which to take the grain away.

“The position is most unsettling,” Mr Forsyth said. “Carriers do not know whether to make their petrol spin out for the month and refuse work or Avhether to do all the work possible until their supply is exhausted and then attempt to obtain more. The farmer cannot plan ahead. He is busy heading wheat and finds that carriers cannot take it. We all know the damage that rain would cause to wheat lying in the paddocks. Mr ,T. S. Mosley, of Stirling, said that there must he hundreds of thousands of applications for extra petrol going to Wellington for consideration by officials avlio know nothing of the circumstances of the applicants. It Avas absolute foolishness for the Government to conduct petrol rationing on tlie present lines. “Bureaucratic control” in Dunedin and a general unsympathetic attitude toward farmers were alleged by Mr J. E. D. Roberts, of Middlemarch. He said requests for additional petrol for busv periods of production on the land had met Avitli a firm refusal. Mr Roberts said heavy allocations of petrol Avere made for luxury travel. Members said no consideration Avas being given by petrol rationing authorities to peak production periods on farms. It Avas mentioned that Otago Avas the only province in which the acreage of wheat had been increased. It Avas agreed that ail immediate approach should he made to Federated Farmers and to Mr Walsh in an endeavour to obtain a solution to tlie present problems confronting farmers.