FERTILISER SUBSIDY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 154, 2 July 1934, Page 8

FERTILISER SUBSIDY

GOVERNMENT AND COMPANIES ( Per Press Assorfation. WELLINGTON, July 1. A long series of conferences between the Minister of Agriculture. Hon. C. E. Macmillan, and representatives of the four fertiliser companies, has not yet resulted in finality regarding the question. of the fertiliser subsidy. The arrangement whereby the Government gave a subsidy of 5s a ton expired on Saturday. It is understood that the Government has made an offer calculated to maintain the price at £4 a ton, but that the companies arc not satisfied with he amount, which is presumably a re duction of the present rate. The subsidy was reduced from 10s six months ago, but the price remained unchanged owing to a drop In the cost for raw material. Lt is stated that another fall of Is 6d a ton in the price of raw ma tcrial has recently occurred. At the conclusipn of another confer encc on Saturday, the Minister said he was not yet in a position to make an announcement. SUBSIDY DISCONTINUED ( Per Press Association ). AUCKLAND, July 1. An announcement that the Government subsidy of 5s a ton on the price of superphosphate had been discontinued, was made »n Auckland to-day. The subsidy, which was for a six months’ period, expired on Saturday, and negotiations between the four fertiliser companies ccmcernea and the Minister of Agriculture (E. Macmiilan), were continued in Wellington until Saturday morning. Tho negotiations failed to bring about a renewal on a basis acceptable to both the Government ana rhe manufacturers. The price of superphosphate to farmers will bo increased from £4 to £4 3s 6d a ton as from to-morrow.