CONSERVATION OF PETROL

Southland Times, Issue 24651, 24 January 1942, Page 8

CONSERVATION OF PETROL

Transport Of Stock To Works Committees in 18 districts in Jew Zealand were recently formed tor the purpose of bringing about a substantial reduction in the amount of petrol used in the carrying of fat stock to> the freezing works. The Southland Mea Export Buying and Transport Committee has now been set up, the constitution of the committee being one chairman, two deputy-chairmen, two representatives of the stock ana station agents, one from the Farmers Union, one from the Department pt Agriculture representing the Minister and not more than four from the freezing companies and exporters. The Southland committee has already held three meetings for the purpose of arranging for the drafting and delivery of fat stock to the nearest freezing works. Instructions have been issued by the Government that the carrying out of the work must be done cooperatively in such a way that there is at least a 50 per cent, saving in the petrol consumption. MEETING AT GORE

Mr F. Wallis, of Gore, has been ap-f pointed one of the deputies and in pursuance of the policy of the committee a meeting was held at Gore. The meeting was widely attended by all parties interested, including buyers, drafters and lorry owners, the commercial agent of the Railways Department, Mr Boswell, also being present. Mr F. Wallis told the meeting of the conclusions reached by the committee at Invercargill and stated that it was going to be very difficult to keep the freezing works killing to capacity and at the same time effect the saving of petrol demanded by the Government, unless there was the very closest cooperation between the buyers, drafters, road transport interests and the Railways Department. With their licences for stock carrying cut substantially for the delivery of fat stock from the farms to the works, operators would have to make the maximum use of the railways by carrying the stock to the rail heads, and to the freezing wqrks direct only when railway transport was not available. It would also be necessary to arrange for farmers, wherever possible, to drive their stock to the works on foot. RADICAL CHANGES NEEDED

There was a great deal of discussion and the consensus of opinion was that there would be very many difficulties, most of which could be overcome if wide publicity was given to the instructions laid down by the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. J. G. Barclay). It was freely stated that farmers were still expecting the same kind of treatment they had been getting up to last year, and that in view of what the committee had to pass on to the meeting it was obvious that there would have to be very radical changes in the procedure of drafting and delivering of fat stock to the works.

It was stressed that none of the changes proposed would operate successfully unless the whole-hearted cooperation of the farming community was attained. All present at the meeting agreed that this was the crux of the matter and that without the fullest co-operation from the farming community no plans and arrangements would be possible. A decision was made to ask the central committee at Invercargill to take this side of the question up and by advertising or other means acquaint the farming community with the necessities of the scheme with the purpose of getting those concerned to give their cooperation and helpful contributions to attain the objective. Mr Wallis pointed out that the alternative to this plan would he zoning, and everybody interested was unanimously of the opinion that the arrangements suggested should be accepted by all parties to avoid what would be considered interference with the more or less normal practice of drafting and transporting fat stock to the works.