PROPOSAL IN WAIKATO

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 162, 11 July 1934, Page 8

PROPOSAL IN WAIKATO

INDEPENDENT SUPPLIES. CONFERENCE TO BE CALLED. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, Tuesday. Caustic comment at the reply to a recent letter from the Fertiliser Manufacturers' Association was passed at a meeting of the Auckland Provincial Executive of the Fanners' Union at Frankton to-day. It was decided to convene a conference with dairy companies to take steps to distribute fertiliser independently of the merchants and manufacturers. If carried into effect, this will mean virtually another manure war. Recently the union asked the association that .a committee meet them to discuss the matter. !Mr. A. K. Robinson, secretary, said not only did the association refuse to receive the committee, but it gratuitously stated that it could not see its way to depart from the ruling already given—that Farmers' Unions could not be included in the category of traders and could not be supplied, directly or indirectly, except at retail prices. "This means war." declared Mr. Robinson, and the chairman, Mr. J. 11. Furniss, outlined a scheme by which the dairy companies and the Farmers' Union with their own organisations could book up orders several years ahead for fertiliser at a reduction of ">/ a ton. It wjis understood that under this scheme the individual farmer would get the benefit of. the rebate, less the cost of handling. Already huge orders were offering for many tons of manure.

"Wo don't object to the manufacturers' price but to'the merchants' rakeoil', and with- co-operation I feel sure we are strong enough to break the ring,"' added Mr. Furniss. A resolution convening the conference which will consider steps to reduce the price of fertiliser to the farmer was carried unanimously.