PRIMARY PRODUCTION

Grey River Argus, 12 July 1945, Page 7

PRIMARY PRODUCTION

MEETING OF WEST COAST COUNCIL Mr. D. B. Jellie presided over a meeting of the West Coast Council of Primary Production held at Greymouth yesterday. Also present were the secretary, Mr. J. Mulcare, Messrs M Minehan, H. G. Carter, W. Vallance, G. G. M. Mitchell, W. Clayton, F. Marshall, and J. Fleming (stock inspector). Advice was received from the National Organiser (Mr. W. Huse) that he would be unable to visit the district until September. A letter was received from the Department of Agriculture stating the position as regards fertilizer rationing. The main differences from last year in the allocation of the ration, the’letter stated, were, first that the allocation for wheat land was now li< cwt. per acre; secondly, no allocation was now based on the number of cows milked; and thirdly, the topdressing ration had been increased from 28 per cent, to 42 per cent, of the annual average quantity used over two year periods ended May 31, 1941. All cases which had been decided by previous appeal were to be treated in the same way as any ordinary top-dressing allocation. The letter went on to say that right of appeal would be allowed only for cases where virgin country had been opened- up, and cases where no previous appeal had been made. It appeared that, on the whole, allocations to farmers on the West Coast would be slightly, reduced from last year. There was some discussion as to whether those farms where the allocation of one cwt. of fertilizer per cow milked had been abolished, ana which, having made previous appeal, no longer had any right of appeal, would suffer undue hardship. It was decided to notify the Department of Agriculture that the Primary Production Council was apprehensive of the position of small dairy, farms with large stocks which were dependant on fertilizer. Also to indicate that the Council thought such farms should have the right of appeal. After discussion regarding the position of phosphates in New Zealand it was decided to write to "the Department of Agriculture asking when phosphates from the islands would again be available. Advice was received from the .Department. that all applications for fibrolite building materials must stipulate the purpose for which the materials ’were to be used, also the type of building on which it was to be used High priority would be given to applications in connection with dairy sheds and poultry houses. The Minister of Agriculture (Hon. B. Roberts) wrote appealing for an increase in pig meats. The letter also stated that a subsidy of £5 per acre would be paid on pig food. At present over 5900 farmers were benefiting under this scheme. Mr Marshall said that an increase in porkers would mean a decrease in the tonnage of pig meats which came from baconers. Porkers were usually about 25 per cent, less in weight than baconers. It was agreed that a letter be sent to Mr Roberts stating that, in the onmion of the Council, it would be advisable to increase the weights of both porkers and baqoners. On behalf of the Inchbonnm and other branches of the Farmers’ Union, Mr K. Ryder urged that the Council press for a greater bran ration for town milk suppliers on the West Coast. The secretary said that there had been an improvement in the position.