SERVICES TO FARMERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22860, 15 October 1937, Page 16

SERVICES TO FARMERS

LOSS THROUGH ZONING INVESTIGATION ARRANGED [BST TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] WHANGAREI. Thursday In reply to the recent protest of the Whangarei sub-provincial executive of the Farmers' Union that farmers were being deprived of essential services as a result of zoning in cream collection, and were being required to carry the cream long distances, a letter has been received from Sir Francis Frazer, chairman of the Executive Commission of Agriculture, as follows: "The commission is aware that in Bome cases where suppliers have been transferred, farm-gate services are not now vailablu. The Government and the commission, however, are anxious that in all cases a reasonable servico should be given. It must be admitted that when competition between companies was keen, services were given that were frankly competitive and uneconomic.

"The commission has arranged with the Dairy Division to investigate a number of complaints, and has stressed the point that dairy companies should give a reasonable service. The commission recently received a report regarding certain side-road services that had been discontinued by a dairy company in the Whangarei area, and it has communicated with the company in question, suggesting that until it has reorganised its cream collection services it should subsidise certain suppliers for carting their cream to the main roads." The chairman, Mr. A. Briscoe Moore, said it was not fair that the man in the backblocks should be deprived of the advantages of modern transport and have to resort to the sledge. The subject appeared to have been satisfactorily taken up by the commission.