OTAGO DISAPPOINTED

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 182, 30 April 1941, Page 6

OTAGO DISAPPOINTED

Minister’s Reply On Wether Killings

FARMERS’ DEEP CONCERN (By Telegraph—Press Association.) DUNEDIN, April 29.

The serious hardship imposed on Otago high-country farmers by the the restriction on wethers going into freezing works this season was thoroughly discussed by a conference held almost a fortnight ago between the Otago Provincial Council of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, the New Zealand president of the union,' Mr. W. W. Mulholland, and Mr. H. M Christie, adviser to the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Barclay. The conference sent a telegram to the Prime Minister urging the removal of the restriction on this class of stock and undertaking to ensure that only the annual high-country drafts would be killed. The customary acknowledgment was received but, though additional telegrams were sent in the meantime, no further reply was received till today, when the following message arrived from Mr. Barclay: “Your telegram, received. Sorry, but unable to open works for extended killing at present, Killing returns of sheep in South Island up to present are above normal,”

This reply is taken by Farmers’ Union officials and other men interested in the problem to be final, and it is believed that even the information collected by Mr. Christie on his recent tour of the South Island has not persuaded the Minister of the urgency of the position.

Mr. Janies Begg has been ip close touch with the Meat Board during lhe past fortnight, and apparently it, too, has not been able to make any impression on the Minister. In addition, Mr. Mulholland and the Dominion executive of the Farmers’ Union made representations on behalf of Otago. The outcome of all the negotiations is this telegram froni the Minister stating, in effect, that no relief can be granted and the position is now viewed with deep concern by all high-country farmers in Otago.