SHORTAGE OF TONNAGE

Otago Witness, Issue 3195, 9 June 1915, Page 19

SHORTAGE OF TONNAGE

ACTION BY FARMERS’ UNION

SOUTHLAND NOT FAVOURED (Feom O ru Own Correspondent.)

INVERCARGILL, May 31

At. the Farmers’ Union Conference the president (Mr W. A. Cox) moved —“ That this conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union desires to point out the seriousness of the position in Southland with regard to the space for frozen meat and other produce, and that unless the present congestion is relieved matters will become acute, as fat stock are now consuming feed that ought to be reserved for store sheep during the winter months.” In moving the motion, Mr Cox said that the most urgent matter was space to carry lambs. If these could not be got away soon they would probably go off and become stores. Another point needed bringing up. It was reported that the freezing companies bad been killing a certain quantity of fat stock sent down from Canterbury by dealers, and Canterbury people were using this as an argument to prove that Southland had been getting top big a proportion of the space allotments in the past. The local freezing works should be used to kill no more Canterbury stock at all. There was not nearly enough space for Southland stock, and they should only accept, therefore, stock from the districts that supported them, and not take any from further north. Mr T. W. Foster seconded the motion, and said that northern people were moving heaven and earth in the matter, and wore saying that Southland was getting too much space; but Southland farmers were strongly of opinion that they were not getting sufficient space, and their fat stock was eating up the winter feed as a result. Mr D. Wards said that the North Island was still getting a considerable amount of space, although the season had practically ended there. The motion was carried. A deputation from the union waited upon Mr R. A. Anderson (Southland representative on the Shipping Committee) during the afternoon, and placed the farmers’ views on the matter fully before him. A copy of the resolution was also wired to the Prime Minister by the secretary (Mr J. T. Prain). It has further been pointed out V>” farmers that the turnip crops in Southland are this year about 50 per cent, below the average, the feeding capacity being thus prejudically affected. This markes Southland’s position all the more serious. SMALL FARMERS’ DIFFICULTIES. SEQUEL TO SHORTAGE OF FEED.. CHRISTCHURCH, June 1. The president of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce yesterday sent the following letter to the Prime Minister: — Many small farmers are in a serious plight owing to having fat lambs and sheep on hand, which they are unable to soli or freeze owing to congestion of the freezing works. Swedes are offering from Southland at 30s to £2 per ton on trucks, and would gladly be purchased here, but railage makes the cost prohibitive. Could your department give any relief to local farmers by rebating the whole or portion of the railage, to enable them to replace their food already consumed?

REPLY FROM PRIME MINISTER (From Ons Own Correspondent.)

INVERCARGILL, Juno 2. Tho secretary of the Southland Farmers’ Union (Mr J. T. Pi-ain) has received tho following telegram from the Prime Minister: —“I am in receipt of your telegram of May 29, transmitting a resolution by the Now Zealand Farmers’ conference regarding the shortage of space for refrigerated cargo, and in reply I beg to assure you that the Government is doing everything it possibly can to meet the present position. I have taken the liberty of forwarding tho representations of tho conference to tho Oversea Shipping Committee at Wellington.”