AGRICULTURAL LIME

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 66, 25 September 1939, Page 3

AGRICULTURAL LIME

INVESTIGATIONAL COMMITTEE SITTING AT ROTORUA Recently the Minister of Agriculture set up a committee to inquire into the lime industry, which for some y'ears has been in an unsatisfactory state. A departmental committee made i preliminary investigation, which brought to light certain facts serious enough to warrant the setting up of an investigational and advisory committee representative of the Jimc manufacturers, the iarmcrs and the Government.. This committee is now conducting its inquiry, and it is charged with the following duties: — (1) Investigating the more efficient production of lime and the organisation of the agricultural lime industry generally. (2) Recommending more efficient methods, for the distribution and marketing of agricultural lime. (3) Investigating and reporting on the most efficient and equitable manner in which Government assstancc, if granted, could be utilised so that bona fide farmers may secure the maximum benefit therefrom. (1) Investigating the prices charged for agricultural lime and the quality of such. The chairman of this committee is Mr G. A. Holmes, an officer of the Fields Division of the Department of Agriculture, reoresenting the Government. The New Zealand Farmers'

Union was represented by Mr Horrobin. a Dominion executive member of the Farmers" 1 Union. Th<» committee heard evidence from interested parties throughout New Zealand including a sitting at Rotorun. Tlie Rangitaiki and Awakcri branches of the New Zealand being interested in this investigation sent a delegate through to Rotorua to put bei'orc the committee the need Tor lime in the Rangitaiki ore a. and to emphas'se the necessity for increased facilities for its use./ It was nointed out by him that the present basis of the rail freights for the carriage of lime is inequitable to those over 100 1 mil's from lim° works, and that cirraee should b? arranged 1.0 provide that farmeis in districts far removed from lime works be placed on the same footing as within the 100 mile limit. Tt was therefore vecinested that all linv be railed free to all farmers wherever situated. The chairman pointed o''t that the Government may not entertain increasing the tc?tal amount of sub-j sidy, but may spread the amount more equitably to the distant farmers. In furtherance of this the delegate pointed out that fanneis "would be agreeable to the minimum of six ton trucks' being increased to eight tons. Another suggestion put ionvard was the establishment of lime depots at each railway centre, from which each farmer woidd get his supplies, instead of each l'armei getting his supply direct from the i: l-c- t*!-! ;■? wmilrl pconomise in

lime works. Tins woum economic m transport charges from the lime works to cach district requiring lime A further point raised was the insufficient guarantee of the standard of quality of the l'me being supplied to farmers, and it was urged that provision he made to guard against this disability, and that vendors of lime be requested to furnish a certificate of quality and fineness of grind ing for the different grades of lime, if more than one grade is to b>? handled, so that farmers will lcnow what they are buying. It is hoped 'that as a result of this committee's investigations it will be possible to place the l'me industry of the Dominion on a sound basis.