TRANSPORT OF WHEAT

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23813, 5 December 1942, Page 6

TRANSPORT OF WHEAT

PROBLEMS DISCUSSED AT CONFERENCE

“That the National Service Department be requested to supply sufficient manpower to transport and store the coming season’s wheat in this transport area,” was a motion carried at a conference of farmers, millers, and other interested parties at Rangiora on Thursday evening under the auspices of the Rangiora Transport Control Committee. Explaining that the conference had been called to arrange for the better co-ordination of services for the transport and handling of wheat and other produce, the chairman (Mr A. E. Gill) said that because of the shortage of heavy tyres the transport of grain would be a more serious matter this season.

Mr A, M. Carpenter said that a big problem was the number of railway trucks likely to be available, to say nothing of manpower. Wheat was a precious commodity and it was essential that it should be removed to safety. If farmers could have say, 50 per cent, of their wheat carted away and could store the rest they would be pleased. Stating that there was no shortage of trucks. Mr A. Benzie, who represented the Railway Department, said that in the Christchurch district there were nearly 5500 trucks available for grain. The trouble, however, was that the trucks were used for storage purposes. He considered the proposal to restrict the cartage of wheat from farms a reasonable solution of the problem facing producers. A representative of a carrying business said that little difficulty would he encountered in transporting 50 per cent, of the new season’s wheat within a reasonable time. There were ample trucks, but shortage of manpower was a serious problem. Some of the transport companies were, he added, saving their tyres against the coming season's harvest. He did not think the Government would stand by and see wheat rot in the fields for the want of a few tyres. To a suggestion that trains should operate more frequently on the Oxford line, the chairman said that if farmers would unload trucks quickly the position would be greatly improved. Overloading had been rife during the last harvest season and tolerance had been shown, said Mr J. W. Roworth, traffic inspector, who added that in future no such tolerance would be considered. The tyre position was desperate, and overloading and speeding, which used tyres unnecessarily, would have to cease.

The various suggestions put forward would be considered by the committee, the chairman stated.