Opua As Fort Of Entry

Northern Advocate, 9 December 1937, Page 14

Opua As Fort Of Entry

j At a meeting' of the Bay of Islands Pi cvincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union, the Minister ot Agriculture (Hon. W. Lee Martin), wrting' in reply to representations in favour iol the establishment cf grading stores at Moercwa. to permit of the direct ;shipment of butter from Opua. stated ; that this would mean grading butter in : an unfavourable environment, and i would restrict the frequency of shipi meats of butter from th.c North. He j promised to go further into- the matter 1 when fuller information is available. 1 There was a sheaf of other letters | bearing on the question of having Opua j declared a port of entry. It was ; pointed out that the draught of ships land frequency of calls had an important bearing on the matter, i Mr Bates thought that the Union

should take the strongest measures to have Opua declared a port of cutty, against which no real reason had been given. The grading store was not. of importance, and he favoured concentrating on shipments of manure to Opua. Any boat could gel into the port. With, direct shipments, arrangements could be made for large ordets of fertilisers for the whole of the North. The same thing would apply to petrol. The shipping companies will naturally endeavour to restrict the ports of loading. Mr Parker: If grading stores are erected at Moercwa. where will they get the butter to grade? None would come from Hokianga. Kohukohu or Oruru. Mr Harrison said that Hokianga was not very well satisfied with the present arrangements, and is considering some change. Mr Bates moved that the dairy companies be asked to circularise share-

holders with a view to getting a large joint order for fertilisers to be shipped direct to Opua. The secretary said the Minister of Customs would put nothing in the way of such a shipment. Mr E. R. Bird seconded, and said that some further information should be obtained. showing what savings would be effected by direct shipments to Opua and any possible reactions. The motion was carried, and it was also decided that the Union provide dairy companies with the comparative costs of shipments to Auckland and Opua.