SERIOUS HOLD-UP

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20421, 11 February 1938, Page 9

SERIOUS HOLD-UP

FERTILISER TRANSPORT TRUCK SHORTAGE AGAIN CRITICISM FROM AUCKLAND (Special to Times.) AUCKLAND, Friday Protests, similar to those made by Waikato farmers to the Minister of Railways at Hamilton recently, regarding the shortage of railway trucks, were made yesterday by Mr E. W. Yates, chairman of the Auckland Fertiliser Merchants' Association, when commenting on the shortage of trucks available for the transport of basic ( slag and other fertilisers, heavy ship- ; meuts of which have already arrived ; in Auckland while others are expected ! shoctiy. Mr Yates staled that the position was even worse Ilian that last year | when demurrage dues amounting to j hundreds or pounds were paid to the I Auckland Harbour Board, resulting in j increasing the cosl of fertiliser to the j farming community. j Telegram to Minister

A telegram on behalf of tiie associa- | tion was sent to the Hon. D. G. Sulli- \ van, yesterday. Jt stated that Auckland transport facilities for the fertiliser i industry were inadequate, the railway ! being unable to cope with the first | autumn arrivals of basic slag and other j fertilisers. A later shipment was ar- j riving, and the position was rapidly ; becoming worse. Importers asked < that the Minister should give the mat- j ter his urgent attention, by diverting j waggons and covers to Auckland. The present year was the third in I which the hold-up had been serious, , said Mr Y’ates, just because the rail- , way trucks were wearing out and were 1 not being repl;i:ed by the department, i Though the .Minister had promised last ! July to do everything possible to meet ; the industry’s requirements, fertilisers j continued to pile up on the Auckland j