WHEAT PRODUCTION AND FUEL

Southland Times, Issue 23921, 13 September 1939, Page 4

WHEAT PRODUCTION AND FUEL

To The Editor

Sir, —Lying on the table in front of me I have an appeal from the Wheat Controller. His words are: “For the wheat growers the line of service is clear cut: they must grow more wheat. The time for sowing is now short, but much can be done before the end of September.” This statement is true only if we get good weather and uninterrupted fuel supplies for our tractors. In front of me I have another form from the Oil Fuel Controller, this time wanting to know how much fuel I will require to the end of September. A more ridiculous question has never been asked. If weather is unfavourable for land work I will need none at all; on the other hand, if the weather is fine 400 gallons would not be too much. One farmer received a permit to get eight gallons of petrol and 43 gallons of kerosene to last until next quarter. This amount would last one good day in a big tractor —that is, if he could get it, but he cannot, as the oil companies do not fill out less than 44 of petrol or kerosene. What use there is in issuing permits for quantities that cannot be got, I fail to see. It certainly will not tend to increase production. I know one big user who travelled 28 miles to town to get his dribble and came home with no fuel. Fifty-six 1 miles travelled, a day lost, and no fuel. 1 “More production”! Yet, sir, we are assured over the air that everything is working smoothly. Plain common sense should tell anyone with the least knowledge of farm work that we cannot produce more but will be forced to produce much less if we cannot get | our power supplies in bulk when wanted.

I suppose there is no practical farmer on the Fuel Committee, nor has one even been consulted; otherwise such stupid practices would not be part of the scheme.—Yours, etc.,

ONE WHO KNOWS. September-11, 1939. [When this letter was referred to the district controller of motor spirit supplies for Invercargill, the Chief Postmaster (Mr H. Miller), he pointed out that many of the applications received by the committee did not provide sufficent detail. If the inquirer would supply full particulars of his requirements, suitable arrangements for supplies could be made.]