SHORTAGE OF TRUCKS.

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20230, 25 June 1937, Page 10

SHORTAGE OF TRUCKS.

MANURE DISTRIBUTION. EXPLANATION TO 'CONFERENCE. The serious loss suffered by farmers during the flush of the past dairying season, owing to the maldistribution of artificial manures, on account of tho shortage of railway trucks, was referred to at the National Dairy Federation’s conference- in Hamilton yesterday. The -question was introduced when a remit from the Albertland Co-ope-rative Dairy Company was tabled, asking conference to draw the attention of the Minister of Railways to the delay in delivery of fertilisers which, it was stated was due solely to a shortage of railway trucks. When the remit was tabled the Albertland Company’s delegate said that he wished to change the word “solely” to “largely,” and when Mr A. W. Wellstead, Business Manager of tho New Zealand Railways rose to mako an explanation, he stated that the changing of the word had “taken the wind out of hi 3 sails.” Mr Wellstead admit!ed that there was a shortage of trucks at the time but that had been only a contributing cause to the delay. Trucks certainly had been very hard to get, owing to the phenomenal increase in rail traffic, but at the present time the Railways Department was receiving on an average iOO new wagons a month and he did not consider that there would be any repetition of the trouble in future. He also stressed the need for the co-operation of the farmers, as many of them had left their manure in the wagons for unreasonable periods before discharging. In view of Mr Wellsfead’s explanation, the remit was withdrawn.