FARMING AFFAIRS

Lake County Mail, Issue 24, 5 November 1947, Page 8

FARMING AFFAIRS

This column is supplied weekly hy Federated Farmers of New Zealand]. The information given is official hut any views expressed are those of the federation and are not necessarily those of this newspaper.

BALING TWINE SUPPLIES Every effort is being made to procure sufficient supplies of billing twine and the Minister of Industries and Commerce has informed Head Office of Federated Farmers that it is apparent that increased production is precluded, in the first instance, by lack of labour in the South Island factory and shortage of phormium fibre at the Auckland factory. In view of that, manufacturers have now been asked to prosecute the advisability of manufactui ing immediately in the North Island, a tonnage of baling twine from imported sisal fibre. ' Approaches have been made to local manufacturers suggesting that theii present distribution scheme be made more elastic. Although it was originally claimed by local producers that * distribution of their output of phormium baling twine has for some time been covered by orders held from operators of automatic pick-up machinery, a rearrangement of this programme has been made and fifty tons of twine has already been made available to meichants for distribution among stationary baler operatives. The Minister has notified Federated Farmers that facilities have been granted to a manufacturer of baling machines for the importation of twine and every consideration will be given to applications for import licences from manufacturers, merchants or consumers. To date, said Mr Nordmeyer, some 500 tons of wire are on order from overseas. It is expected that a portion of that wire will arrive later in the season and definite information regarding delivery will soon be available. Although at the moment, said the Minister, the position was obscure, he felt sure that if production of twine from sisal was effected immediately, that would go far towards meeting the demand for the current season. FRANCE AND NEW ZEALAND WOOL The French National Assembly has, according to recent advice received in New Zealand, ratified a £3,000,00 agreement' creating credits for French purchases of wool and other products from New Zealand.