Progress League To Make Further Study Of Lime Supply Issue

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 September 1947, Page 7

Progress League To Make Further Study Of Lime Supply Issue

Two of the leaders of the opposing’ sides in the controversy over the proposed establishment of a limeworks by Mr G. L. Johnston at Cobden, Messrs M. Wallace and W. D. Taylor, again expressed their views on the question at last evening’s meeting of the Westland District Progress League.

Mr Wallace, whose address to the Hokitika League last week, altered the attitude of this organisation, which had previously associated itself with the Westland League in supporting the new scheme, explained his views with few interruptions, though a minor clash developed when the speaker was prevented from discussing issues which were considered by the chairman, Mr Taylor, to be largely political. Mr Taylor in turn gave his answer to “loose statements’’ made against the Cobden scheme, and on his.motion the league postponed further consideration of the issue to enable a sudy of new aspects of the position to be made.

After a letter from the Hokitika Progress League requesting that the discussion on the lime question be reopened, had been read, the president of the southern league (Mr P. C. Blank) said that last week’s meeting had been addressed by Mr M. Wallace, a farmer, who had placed before members new facts which had not been known when the league first discussed the proposal. In order to reopen the discussion, he moved that the league rescind its motion supporting the Cobden proposal, and, that before any further steps were taken, the matter be referred to a special committee. “I would like to hear some of the facts that were not presented at the meeting,” commented Mr Taylor. “I was asked to attend the Hokitika meeting and put the position as I see it and will endeavour to do so again tonight,” said Mr Wallace. The matter, he began, had been the subject of a lot of newspaper correspondence, anonymous and otherwise, and he understood that his bona tides .as a farmer had been questioned. “Anyone doubting that can have me on in the milking sheds, with shears or on the hay stack,” he said. Mr Wallace went on to refer to a proposal by Mr Johnston to visit individual farmers’ organisations and invited him to a meeting at Koiterangi.

“Took Exception”

“I saw an account of the last league meeting and I took exception to statements made there,” he said. “They did not give a true picture of the actual position.” He explained how the secretary (Mr Saunders) had been inaccurate when he said that the comparative 'prices of Cobden and Ross lime were 14s and 29s a ton, when the prices were for entirely different commodities. Answering criticism of his statement concerning the calcium content of the Cobden stone, Mr Wallace pointed out that he had given Cobden a percentage of 75 and Ross 90 whereas he believed the Ross percentage was nearer 98. “I did not incorrectlv state the position, but your secretary at Hokitika definitely did,” he said. “How would the timber-workers or the miners of Runanga react if we farmers interfered with a matter that affected their livelihood and interests”? asked Mr Wallace, referring to the support of the timber workers’ union for the Cobden proposal.

No Political Matter

“I am here tonight, not only to fight for a co-operative company but to fight for a principle I have believed in all my life, and that is co-opera-tive enterprise for primary producers,” Mr Wallace continued. “I hope I will live to see the day when the whole cycle of farming operations-—” “We are here to have a discussion on lime,” broke in the chairman, “and the question of co-operative enterprise versus private enterprise is a political matter which we are debarred by the constitution from permitting. You can say you prefer co-op-erative lime works, but I must ask you to leave alone a matter on which political opinion is sharply divided.” “Do you wish me to leave the meeting, Mr Chairman”? asked Mr Wal“Not at all, but there will be no discussion here on the merits or demerits of co-operative enterprise,” the chairman replied. “I took it that I was to address the meeting on the lines of my address at Hokitika, but I must abide by the ruling,” said Mr Wallace. “I have never taken.political views on this issue, but was merely endeavouring to explain myreason for support'

ing the Ross works. Co-operative enterprise can do a wonderful job for producers, and for you and other people in this town.” Pointing out that Mr Taylor had stated that he did not care where the lime came from as long as the farmers were able to get it, Mr Wallace added that he had asked Mi’ Taylor if he would favour the expressed desire of the farmers, and he took it that he had said “yes.” My reply was that I would be guided by the greatest benefit to the district,” said Mr Taylor.

Farmers’ Views

“The farmers know what is in their interests and that is a works at Ross for the southern half and another in the Buller gorge for the northern area,” said Mr Wallace, who claimed that he had been prevented from repeating the case he had put before the Hokitika league. He admitted that there was a temporary shortage of lime brought about by war conditions, but the Ross company was being reorganised and would soon be able to meet the demand by farmers within 100 miles of its location.

Referring to the intention of Mr Johnston to impregnate his lime with minerals, Mr Wallace quoted authorities to show that there was no lack of trace elements in West Coast soil with the exception of an area at Reefton and the pakihi land. “I am not going to make any insinuations, but I am going to tell you that it has cost farmers thousands of pounds in past y&ars to buy proprietary stuff that had no virtue at all.”

Cost of 200,000 Tons “I agree that if the total of West Coast productive land could be treated with lime today, it would take 200,000 tons,” said the speaker, who stated that of the 212,000 acres in the province that could be farmed —if first cleaned up with a lot of expense —on only 25 per cent of it would it be physically possible to spread lime at present. Assuming that the 200.000 tons was spread, it would cost £270,000. “The tax on the revenue from gold would pay for that,” said the secretary (Mr Saunders). “Is that available?” asked Mi’ Wallace.

“The Government should pay for the work. It should be prepared to put back some of the money extracted from the province,” said Mr Saunders.

“But, unfortunately, it won’t,” said Mr Wallace. “It would have to come from the farmers because no government or organisation would be beneficient enough to do it.” Mr Wallace told the meeting that the total return to the West Coast farmery supplying dairy factories last year was £165,306, or £llO,OOO short of the amount required to spread the 200,000 tons of lime. All these farmers, he said, would be required to buy 444 tons of lime each, or 250 tons at least. “These are facts bringing the matter down to reality,” he said. In Koiterangi, he added, 1701 b of butterfat per acre had been produced. If all the river flats of the West Coast were farmed to produce lOOlbs, it would increase present production from 1,600,0001bs to 22,000,0001 b, which would mean that instead of 450 farmers there would be somewhere in the vicinity of 2,000. He pointed out that on the present margin between costs and returns, men were prepared to take up good farming land only. Until the economics of the problem were solved, men could not be induced to take up second or third grade land. In cqn- , elusion he said he believed that Ross

could produce sufficient lime to meet the demand of its district for many years. :