PRODUCTION COUNCIL

Grey River Argus, 20 April 1945, Page 2

PRODUCTION COUNCIL

MEETING AT GREYMOUTH The West Coast Council of Primary Production met at Greymouth yesterday. Mr. D. B. Jellie presided and also present were Messrs H. G. Garter, M. Minehan, N. B. MbCallum, W. Clayton, W. Vallance, G. G. Mitchell and the Secretary-organiser (Mr. J. Mulcare). . The Secretary-organiser said that he had discussed the town milk supply question with Mr. R. P. Connell, a member of the investigating committee, who said that the committee had thought that vendors had been getting the best of things and that the adjustment in the price for producers would meet the position, lhe committee was not prepared to make any. further recommendation regarding an increase in the price to the producer. A telegram from the Hon. J. O’Brien regarding the release of bran for town milk supply producers was read, the Secretary-organiser stating that the promise had been honoured and supplies of bran were now coming to hand. The chairman reported that a deputation from the Council had met Hon. C. F. Skinner and discussed the Cobden lime works proposal and had given evidence before the commission set up to discuss the proposal. Fie thought they should get a favourable recommendation and hoped they would. o xi Reporting on the work of the committee set up to discuss anomalies in the quantities of petrol required for milking machines, the chairman said that it was considered impossible to strike a flat rate as there were so many factors to consider.. The committee had asked the District Oil Fuel Controller to supply, further information regarding the age and make ot milking machines and engines in each case and the matter would be further considered when this was available. The National Council wrote stating that a number of complaints had been received from the district councils regarding late delivery of fertiliser. No means of ensuring delivery as soon as possible would be overlooked, but certain physical factors had to be remembered. It had been suggested that in some cases farmers were not unloading promptly and carriers might also be leaving the cartage ol fertiliser until other jobs were done. The Secretary-organiser said that he had seen the local railway authorities who said that generally speaking they had no complaints. regarding recommcndati'-ns made by district' councils to appeals held, lhe National Council vote stating that these should be ba-ed only on the effect the call-up wouid have on primary production in each case. It should be possible to divide recommendations into (a.) essential; (b) essential for some definite period to cover cases where at the end of the period the work might terminate or a replacement become available; (c) essential until replaced by suitable labour; (d) cases where it appeared no appreciable decline in production would take place. Representations were considered regarding an application for a lertililser quota of six tons for a Harihari farmer who had spent three ‘ years in the forces and was now held on a sine die adjournment, whose farm had deteriorated in his absence. It was decided to make favourable recommendation to the fertiliser committee regarding the application and to suggest to the National Council that in this and similar cases of farmers held on sine die adjournment sa measure of rehabilitation assistance might be made available.