FUEL ECONOMY AND FARM WORK

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23541, 20 January 1942, Page 8

FUEL ECONOMY AND FARM WORK

Sir. —Interest and rate charges are the same, yet the farmers’ livelihood receives a 40 per cent, reduction through reduction of fuel. For instance, a power kerosene licence received early in the piece a 10 per cent, reduction, and then another 30 per cent, drop, or in all 40 per cent, less than was required a little over a vear ago, This means that four out of every 10 acres inder cultivation will soon be out of production, or in other words it will soon mean half a loaf where we had one, and one fat lamb where wo had two. This will bo the case if another 10 per cent, is applied. It also means that our national production returns will fall in the same manner; yet the call to produce more is still being echoed. This cry will soon bo a whisper in the hills unless our Wellington officials awaken from their slumbers. Monthly icenccs are in vogue, and there is a form which asks for monthly requisites for the next 12 months Cultivation is largely based on weather conditions. Soil packing by rain and weed control are items which can call on more kerosene than was at first estimated. Supplementary licences were issued at one time when supplies of fuel were used up. but now after being civet! a 40 per cent, cut, the form tells us that any increase on our annual licence will not be granted. Does this mean no supplementary licence will be granted for unforeseen contingencies? On top of tliis we have the delivery of nur monthly requirements. Where once a six-ton truck called with two lons of kerosene, some seeds and two or three tons of manure, together with petrol and oil requisites for, say, three months, now we have the truck calling every month with two or three drums. This of course saves petrol, so our brainy fuel ,-onfrollers think. We all know the idea is that every farmer in the district should place his order and requirements to be delivered by the carrier in the one trip. This works on paper only, as every farmer is not using his tractor on the same job and burning the same quantity of kerosene. One might bo shearing, another harvesting, and yet another

ploughing. It simply means this that the farmer of to-day is being educated whether he likes it or not to become a schemer, because monthlwlicences will not stop hoarding, and he will naturally try to keep as much kerosene on hand as possible to complete his work up to time, without fuel interruptions. Now is the time to push for at least a quarterly licence, not when it is too late. I would advise farmers to back up this letter by writing. Don't talk. -Yours, etc., PRO DUCER. January If), 1942.