WEST COAST REMITS

Grey River Argus, 22 May 1944, Page 6

WEST COAST REMITS

PASSED BY FARMERS’ CONFERENCE.

The conference of South Island farmers at Timaru, last week, unanimously carried five remits of the Ngahere Farmers’ Union, submitted by West Coast delegates to the conference. The remits, which have been previously published, embraceda number of items affecting the province as a whole, and advocated: That there be an immediate commencement. after the war, of a direct air service between the South Island and Australia; that timber royalties received by the Crown Je spent, as far as is practicable -n the province from which they are received; that there be direct shipping Australia from both the east and west coasts to assist in South Island development; that the construction of a deep sea harbour on the West Coast be undertaken; that an increase in the price of milk ne instituted; and that an immediate start be made to augment the electric power supply for the South Island with an investigation of West Coast sources of supply. LAND DETERIORATION During the conference, Mr D. B. Jellie, chairman of the West Coast. Primary Production Council, and Mr J. Mulcare, secretary of the West Coast branch of the Farmers’ Union and Production Council, discussed with the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. B. Roberts, the farming position on the West Coast, and land deterioration, etc. They received a sympathetic hearing. The Minister promised to come to the West Coast as soon as he could, following a visit to Hawke’s Bay and in the meantime, he stated, he would send a responsible officer to the district to investigate the position. Messrs W. Searle junr.. Harihari (president). H. Beckett (vice-presi-dent) and H. V. Palmer (Buller) of the Farmers’ Union, who also attended the .conference, returned home over the week-end.