STATE NEGLECTS TO ASSIST GROWERS WITH CLEAR-CUT REPLIES TO APPEALS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22757, 1 October 1948, Page 4

STATE NEGLECTS TO ASSIST GROWERS WITH CLEAR-CUT REPLIES TO APPEALS

PROBLEMS WITH MAIZE

WHILE full of praise for the voluntary work carried out by members of the Gisborne Maize Salvage Committee, which had an unenviable task, members of the agricultural section of Federated Farmers in Gisborne at a meeting last night criticised the inaction of the State.

Messrs. S. McGuinness, chairman, H. D. C. Lahge and A. J. Stock, secretary, were deputed to meet the New Zealand Maize Marketing Committee when it sits in Gisborne on Monday and to press for satisfaction on the following points, which have been the subject of correspondence for many weeks: — 1. Corrugated iftm for crib covering for the coming season's crop. 2. Retrospective payment of the 3s per bushel subsidy. 3. Additional subsidy to cover picking costs of maize from the flooddamaged areas. Outlining the situation in regard to the work of the maize salvage committee, the chairman, Mr. McGuinness, said there were still a few claims to be made on the committee for farmers' expenditure on picking. “Committee Has no Money” Rome claims had been met in full, others in part, and still others not at all, particularly those relating to the drying of salvaged maize. The committee had no money. Application had been made for an increased allocation from the Slate some months ago and there had been no satisfactory reply. Various approaches had been made to the Prime Minister, Mr. P. Fraser, the Minister of Agriculture and Marketing, Mr. E. L. Cullen, and the chairman of the National Council of the Aid-to-Britain Campaign, Mr. F. P. Walsh, without result. “The committee decided that a halt had to be called in regard to the employment of the Maori labour,” Mr. McGuinness explained. “In the event of wet weather they had to be paid just the same. The salvage of tne crops cost more than it should nave done, and wet conditions with the broken weather increased costs. However, had the scheme not been put into operation there would have been a tremendous amount of maize wasted.” Mr. Lange said Federated Farmers should be grateful to tne secretary, Mr. A. J. Stock, and to the departmental officers. Messrs. J. H. Flowers, H. deO. Chamberlain and V. G. A. Hall, for their keen attention to the bulk of the additional administrative wont entailed in the salvage operations. Task Well Done “I do not think that even those who had maize salvaged truly realised the difficulties under which these men worked' and the fine job they did tor the farmers." said Mr. Lange. These remarks were endorsed by Mr. McGuinness, and the value of the work and the appreciation of the section was placed op record. “We started early last year to press for cribbing requirements of iron, and I think we should start earlier this season,” the chairman said. “Some growers will not commit themselves to planting unless the iron is available,” said Mr. Stock, adding that he had received numerous requests for information regarding the availability of iron. On July 15 the Minister of Industries and Commerce, Mr. A H Nord-

meyer. advised Federated Farmers in Gisborne that the factory controller had agreed to make available a quantity of iron, nine tons in all, for maize cribs in the district. At the time, It was stated, the iron was due to be unloaded at Auckland That was the eiast that had been heard of the allocation. Mr. Stock said "reams of paper had been used in correspondence between Gisborne and the departments and the Ministers concerned.” Position Most Unsatisfactory "If we had been told that the iron had been diverted tor use in the tornado-stricken area of Frankton we would appreciate the position, but not knowing what happened to that nine tons of iron promised to Gisborne is most unsatisfactory," said Mr. Lange. Auckland That was (lie last that matter before the maize-marketing committee, stressing the urgency of the case and the fact that maize plantings would largely depend on the outcome of the many representations already made. The retrospective payment of the subsidy on last season's maize and the negotiations already carried out were described by the chairman. If the subsidy was not paid in that manner, he said, it was possible that farmers with late-shelled maize may hold it back until next year to qualify for the higher rate. That would embarrass an already serious situation as supplies of the commodity were short enough. "The Government has just let this thing drift,” Mr. McGuinness said. Mr Stock read correspondence, the first of which was dated August 19, relating to the application for an increase in the picking subsidy. Finally, a letter “in fairly strong terms” was sent to Mr. Walsh on September 23. A reply to that letter had been received yesterday afternoon and Mr. Walsh regretted delay . However, he said, it was then impossible to take the subject up with the Prime Minister on the eve of his departure overseas and said he would be referring the subject to the actingPrime Minister, Mr. W. Nash. “Up Against Brick Wall” “Everyone worked very well on this committee and then we get up against a brick wall like this,” said Mr. McGuinness. 'I don’t know what further action we can take: we seem to be getting nowhere fast.” Mr. Stock said the commitments of the salvage commttiee were fully £2OOO yet to be met. It was explained that the £7OOO originally allowed by the Government as a picking subsidy would have been fully adequate had the weather following the flood been normal. The wet-or-fine basis of payment to the Maori labour had been costly in the wet weather. The committee had had no previous experience on such a task and, frankly, had not allowed sufficient leeway in its estimate to cover adverse weather. It was decided to refer that matter also to the marketing committee.