MAORI FARRIERS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 6, 14 September 1943, Page 5

MAORI FARRIERS

TRANSPORT FROM WAIMANA

RFPRESKXTATIONS TO MINISTER

The question of facilities being provided some eighteen Maori dairy farmers in the Wnhnnna Valley for the transport of their cream to the Opotiki dairy factory was discussed with the Minister of Interna] Affairs, Mr Parry, during his visit to Waimana on Thursday. Mr W. 11. Hughes, on behalf of suppliers, brought the matter to notice.

It was, stated that at present the. waggon contractor collected cream from farms of the valley as lar as Tahora only. It was the non-col-lection of the cream from farmers some 12 to 20 miles beyond Tahora in which the suppliers were concerned. There being no regular transport to the factory for large quantities of cream produced by the latter,, they were pouring it away. It was urged that this was no time when any primary product should be wasted, and the suppliers felt the Government would view in tliat light the complaint and the necessity for the provision of proper transport facilities for the area.

Mr Parry said he haij already represented the position for the consideration of the Minister of Transport. Facilities of the kind asked for were all-important in the interests of production and of the sup-' pliers, and he felt something would be done to rectify matters. The representations now made woukl be specially submitted to the Minister of Agriculture and Transport. 'T congratulate the Maoris of the va.llejV' the Minister added, ''on the working success being made of their dairy farms; they deserve all en-

couragement."