All-Round Co-operation Gets Urgently-Needed Fertiliser To Waikato

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 55, 14 June 1948, Page 8

All-Round Co-operation Gets Urgently-Needed Fertiliser To Waikato

'An extra 650 tons of fertiliser has been delivered each week-end to the farmers of the Waikato by the introduction of a special week-end train. The train, which first ran on *May 17, is- made up of trucks that would normally not l?e available for this work over the week-end. ‘‘This is an excellent example of What can be done when people get rtogether and co-operate in a wholehearted manner,” said Mr F. P. Walsh, Chairman of the Aid for Britain National Council. “By careful planning on a very tight time allowance, and by explaining the situation to a number of various speakers, we have had a TOO per cent result,” said Mr Walsh. “That makes a total of nearly 2000 /tons of, extra fertiliser delivered on rthree Sundays running.” ■" The scheme to run special week-

end trains was first put up f<J- the ".'•National Council by Federated ''Fariiiers r and it was taken up immeV. The Railways Department agreed to make a train available on •3... .the: strict • understanding that the ; i wagons fI-6n , i>h'at tfam. would be on .iand' to continue their normal coal- - • carrying and other essential funcy. tions. in the Waikato first thing on ‘Monday - morning. ■; .. The managers of the three ferftiliser works in Auckland freely •3 : their co-operation. The fertiliser was available, they said,, ••■'.hut transport was the chief holdup. The Employment Department in convened a meeting of the ; ’works managers, the workers’ union '.officials, the Railways Department. '•: ■ the Department of Agriculture and the Transport Department, when it •' /was agreed that providing the carcriers of the Waikato could arrange .•? to clear the wagons by working on Sunday, they would co-operate to ' work the scheme. The Auckland and Waikato Transport Officers obtained the assistance of the Waikato carriers. Workers at the three Auckland ! fertiliser works have been working a 52-hour week for some time under most unpleasant conditions, but volunteers were obtained for special overtime on Saturdays so that this scheme could be carried out. i