POSTS FOR FARMERS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19122, 17 September 1936, Page 16

POSTS FOR FARMERS

A SERIOUS SHORTAGE AY lIAK AT AN E COM PL AIN T At the meeting of the Wliakatane County Council this week the works committee recommended that the Minister of Lands should be asked to advise the council as to the approximate area of totara timber country in the Galatea. Te Whaiti and Urewera districts. In commenting upon this suggestion, Cr. Luxton stressed the difficulty in procuring posts even at the high price of £l6 a hundred. It was advisable to open up some of this land lor occupation so that posts could be procured. I’ost splitting contractors declared that they could not get the timber at present. Cr. AlcCready concurred and said il was /becoming impossible to procure posts, yet the windfalls alone- in the areas referred lo would supply many thousands of posts for the farmers. He also thought that it would be wise for the Minister to see that a reasonable price was fixed. Posts delivered at Tancat.ua for transport to Gisborne cost Ul6 a hundred. Cr. Smith said if Gisborne .men were prepared to pay more for posts than local buyers they were entitled to them. It would be wise to ascertain the area of timber available before taking action. ’J bey should get the co-operation of other counties as well. The posts were not for Whakatane alone. Or. McCulloch said it should bo pointed out that farming operations were being hampered by the lack of posts and that the prices were prohibitive. Cr. Murray thought it would be wise simply to stress the cost and difficulty in obtaining posts and not raise anything in the nature of a priority claim. Finally it was Jolt to the clerk to write to the Minister upon the subject.