CHANGE TO CHEESE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 132, 23 July 1941, Page 5

CHANGE TO CHEESE

FARMERS ROADING NEEDS DISCUSSION AT COUNCIL MEETING With the change over from supplying butterfat to the supplying of milk for cheese by a number of farmers only six weeks distant, many preparations have been made, but as yet many more are to receive attention. One matter concerning fartaers is the need for solid metalled roads' from the highways to their shedfe, existing farm roads being probably suitable for usuail work, but incap-f able of carrying the greatly ad'ded weight to be involved. To cope withi the weight of milk, ; which will be about ten timesf' that of cream, a great de'al of metalling and 1 expense will be> incurred. Already the Rangitaiki Dairy Company lias been contacting farmers in this connection and at yesterday's meeting the Whakatane County Council discussed the matter at some length. The council is not permitted by l law to supply the metal to farmers, although it is eager to do sio as well as undertake the work of spreading the metal. The proposal is that this work be done in co-operation with the dairy companies in the county so as <o facilitate the farmers, and expedite the maximum of milk supply tc cheese factories in accordance wi.'th the desire of the Government. After fulLl consideration it cided that if dairy companies ore able to obtain permission under Emergency Regulations for the council to metal farmers! roads where farmers are changing over from butter to cheese the chairman and Crs Spcnce and McCready be a committee to finalise the matter.

FURTHER DIFFICULTIES

MANY ROADING PROBLEMS Later in the meeting Cr R. C. McCready introduced the subject ol county roads leading to farms which arc scheduled to change over the milk suppfly. The roads in many parts of the county, he claimed were not suitable for the passage of heavy trucks which would be used and would require to /be n-.etalled and in some cases widened. The chairman agreed that this wasi the case, although pointing out that the council could do only what its funds permitted in the wayi of providing better access. In cases where it Avas a hardship for the farmer to change to cheese 1 a.ppe'a! could be made and exemption sought Cr McCready, however, held that very few exemptions would be granted and in his opinion not where it would be possible for a council to better the roads. It was decided that the engineer inspect such roads in the county with a view to having, where possible, them brought up to the standard required by the heavy traffic which wouTd be used.