PRIMARY PRODUCTION

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 April 1945, Page 3

PRIMARY PRODUCTION

WEST COAST COUNCIL — A meeting of the West Coast Council of Primary Production was. held at Greymouth yesterday, Mr D. B. Jellie presiding, and also being present Messrs G. G. M. Mitchell, W. Vallance, H. G. Carter, M. Minehan, N. B. McCallum, W. Clayton, and J. Mulcare (secretary). The Chairman reported on an interview with the Minister of Lands and Rehabilitation (Mr Skinner) concerning the proposed establishment of a lime works at Cobden, and on the representations made to the Lime Commission, on behalf of the Council. He did not know the Councils decision, but thought that the Council would get a favourable recommendation. The Commission had heard representations from the Council for four hours, and had seemed impressed with the arguments put forward. ' x , X 1 4 'The Chairman also reported that a cofnmittee was still investigating a proposal by the Oil Fuel Controller that a flat rate be struck in connection with the allocation of petrol to farmers for milking machine consumption. , n • The Harihari branch wrote asking that about six tons of fertiliser be supplied to a farmer of that district, who had served in the Army for three years, and whose farm had gone Mr Carter suggested that the Rehabilitation Department be called on to assist the farmer. It was decided to refer the appeal to the Fertiliser Committee, with a favourable recommendation. A motion by Mr Carter that it be a recommendation to the National Council in this and similar cases, the authorities be called upon to make available a certain percentage of rehabilitation assistance, was carried. It was decided also to refer the matter to the West Coast’Farmers’ Organisations. . Replying to complaints concerning the late delivery of fertiliser, the National Primary Production Council stated that the importance of the matter was appreciated, but often the farmers were to blame in failing to unload trucks speedily. Farmers by helping the Railways Department would help themselves. The Secretary said that he had ceen the Railway authorities at Greymouth, and there were no complaints against Coast farmers. The National Council advised that where reports were' made by the Council on men to be called up foi Armv service, recommendations be made only in respect of the effect on primary 'production the removal of the men would have The Department of Agriculture advised that it was possible that hay imported to the West Coast this seacontained the seed ol nasella tussock, but there was n ° evidence tbit this was so. The Depanmeni was doubtful whether the establishment of nasella tussock would result from the importation of such hay. as conditions of growth on the West Coast differed to Canterbury. +i lG Mr Mitchell suggested that the tussock would not thrive in the Coast climate decided to advise the Deinvestigations on the mattei.