FRUITGROWERS' NEEDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16204, 14 April 1916, Page 7

FRUITGROWERS' NEEDS

FREE RAILAGE OF LIME. % MINISTER REFUSES REQUEST.

CASE FOR NORTH AUCKLAND.

The attention of the Hon. W. D. S. Mac donald, Minister for Agriculture, was recently drawn by Mr. C. J. Parr, M.P., to requests, emulating from districts immediately north of Auckland, that lime, which has been found necessary to enable. the ground to bo successfully cultivated, should be carried free of railway charges from To Kuiti. Under the present regulations, limo is carried ftco of charge for a distance of 100 miles only, and the limit of tho free rail ago is thus set at Papakura.

In a reply which Mr. Parr has received, tho Minister states that, after giving tho matter careful consideration, ho is unable to recommend tho Government to extend the presont 100-mile limit. Ho suggested that the farmers should cooperate to procure a krgi consignment of lime, thereby reducing tint cost.

"I havo communicated this decision to tiro fruitgrowers," said Mr. Parr. "Their reply is that the special c-eumstances in which settlers at Swamr-m ;.nd Henderson are placed deserve consideration from tho Government. It appears that a great many settlers have taker, up sections averaging about 12 aces and are paying a fairly high rent to tho Government, their object being fruit and poultryfarming. They aro mostly working people with l'ttlo or no capital **» -V» v t vi'li. T .no is. recognised no'r to c. >'!-!W *.«ly necessary to make a profit.' use .»/ tho heavy clay soil, iteing Oovei;aieni tenants, settled on hnd that formerly yielded only kauri gum, they consider that they have a fair claim that the Government should help them to obtaii. a cheap fupply ol 1 nv\ I should thin!' tliL quite 101 >■■ tilers have taken Uj Go' -sinmeMl land in this way during the last two years, and I believe that, gome of them, finding that they could not profitably farm it, have thrown up their sections. Most of them, however, aro sticking pluckily to their properties.!, Personally, I think these pooplo are entitled to some consideration from tho State," added Mr. Parr. "I have represented their views in another letter to Mr. Macdonald. and his further investigation of the matter will bo awaited with interest."