TRACTORS DESTROYED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18066, 18 April 1933, Page 5

TRACTORS DESTROYED

HEAVY SOVIET LOSSES ACCIDENTS AND NEGLECT RIGA, March 6. The Commissariat of Agriculture ot the U.S.S.R. has drawn up statistics showing the losses of tractors in 1932 1 due to accidents, mishandling, and neglect. Soviet agriculture last year lost more than 62,000 new tractors, a number exceeding the entire production of all the Soviet tractor works. The Soviet Union has thus about 14 per cent, fewer tractors this spring than in the spring of 1932.

Figures show approximately that oi 107,000 tractors repaired and in need of repair at the end of February, 1932, 48,000 were produced by the Soviet tractor works in the course of the year and delivered to the Commissariat oi Agriculture. The total repaired and repairable tractors now available is aOout 93,000, of which 46,000 await overhauling before spring sowing can begin. In connection with these losses the Ogpu ou Saturday announced the discovery of a new organisation of wreckers in the Ukraine, White Russia, and North Caucasus, who. it is stated, have confessed to the wilful destruction of tractors and other machinery lor the purpose of reducing tile U.S.S.R. to conditions of starvation. The Ogpu declares that among about 70 persons arrested, the majority are agricultural State officials of non-proletarian origin.