FARMERS PROTEST

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 199, 5 January 1942, Page 5

FARMERS PROTEST

CURTAILMENT OF R.D. MEETING AT EDGEGUMBE' Absence of travelling facilities did not dieter district farmers from; attending the' special meeting at Edgecumbe last Friday called by the Rangitaiki branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, for the purpose of protesting against the threatened action, of the PostmasiterGeneral to cut down the Rural Delivery servitee from a daily toi a tri-weekly one. Of the fifty farmers who were present some had! walked many miles, while those 1 fortuniaite enough to possessi the petrol to run their cars gladly acted as a taxi service for their less fortunate neighbours. The meeting was presided over by the president, Mr J. Mullins, who in opening the proceedings detailed! the new regulation: which emanated from the Dominion Oil Fuel Controller, and said that any cut in the daily service, now that farmers were prevented from going into town themselves would hiave very drastic an>d ! far-reaching results. Numerous speakers aired 1 Similar views, the most serious aspect being the quick delivery of urgent medicines per medium of the" R.D. which if delayed: miight easily lead to very serious consequences. A letter in this connection was read from Dr F. J; Appleby, urging the retention of the daily service. The meeting unanimously decided to protest most emphatically against any curtailment of the service and to forward letters to this effect to the Ministers of Agriculture 1 and Health, to the Oil Fuel Controller, the Postmaster General and to Messrs W. Sullivan and F. W. Doidge, M.P's.