TRACTOR PARTS UNOBTAINABLE

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28888, 7 May 1959, Page 16

TRACTOR PARTS UNOBTAINABLE

Import Restrictions Blamed

Three 30 horsepower tractors were lying idle in the Ashburton County because no parts were available for water pump flanges, said Mr A. N. Mclntosh at yesterday’s meeting of the Dominion agricultural section council of Federated Farmers. They were all of the same make of tractor, which was in fairly common use, but import restrictions were holding up replacement parts. One member said some distributors "rode” their allocations by spending everything on nonessential items because they would have to be granted extra licences for the essentials. It was the distributor’s responsibility to ensure that his allocation was spent in importing spare parts of all types and not only those which showed the greatest turnover or highest mark-up, as was frequently the case, he said. Freeing agricultural machinery from all import restriction would not make more than £lO,OOO worth of difference in a year, said Mr C. A. B. Pilbrow. Sorpe relaxation of restrictions had been made recently and he felt that the time was now opportune for an approach to be made to the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr Holloway) for the abolition of controls on agricultural and farm equipment. This was embodied in a subsequent motion, moved by Mr Pilbrow and seconded by Mr F. H. Gilbertson. It was carried unanimously. Because of the Import restrictions farmers could not obtain proper bolts for hustler points, Mr Mclntosh said. The English bolts designed to be used for the machines were specially made of high-quality steel but the New Zealand carriage bolt, with the heads ground back, which were all that were available, were a sheer waste of time and were useless. The matter was referred to the executive for action.