THE PRICE OF FERTILISERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18772, 28 July 1924, Page 5

THE PRICE OF FERTILISERS.

Six,—ln a previous letter I stated that the price of super m the autumn of 1914 was £3 10s per ton f.o.r. Auckland. Mr. Ross, in his reply, quoted £4 17s 6d as being the price at that time. I will just state a few facts which may servo to! prompt Mr. Ross' memory Toward the end of March, 1914. the firm with whom Mr. Rosa,' was connected quoted 36-38 super at £3 15,3 per ton. During April a reduction to £3 12s took place. May saw the price drop to £3 10s. Juno was still better for the farmers, and the first week of July, 1914, super could be bought from any Auckland firm for £3 5s per ton. To-day's prices arc not only 5 per cent., but nearly 60 per cent., above 1914. A. T. Johnston. Waerenga, July 24, 1924. Sir,—Mr. Macmillan was very wide of the mark when he suggested that I was drawing a red herring across the trail. 1 merely wanted to know why the whole Government pack was in full cry after a little co-operative rabbit, and persistently refused to see bigger game right ahead of them. Mr. Macmillan is ambiguous when he says:—"The point most people miss is the farmers' interest in the Nauru phosphatic K>ck. This, I consider, should be a controlling one." If this iis a plea for the nationalisation of the fertiliser industry, then I am heart- and soul with Mr. Macmillan. When the Farmers' Union first promoted the Fertiliser Gompany. it was hoped that the fanners would thus obtain thi;s controlling interest. But how can farmers' co-operation ever be a success if only a proportion co-operate, and the rest give no help whatever, but support their business rivals? The company has done good work in lowering prices— that it has failed to do more is owing, not so much to the fault of the as to the farmers themselves. Mr. Macmillan's dairy farmer, who was too prudent to take shares, is now howling to get every concession, while his neighbour, who made real sacrifices to put in £400 or £500, has not yet received a penny of interest for his money. The only way in which cooperation can be a complete stuctess is to make it Dominion-wide. Let the Government establish fertiliser works and pat every farmer on the some footing. J. S. MONTGOKESSra. Mangere, July 24, 1924.