Farmers Complain Of Short Weight In Fertiliser Bags

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 37, 5 January 1949, Page 5

Farmers Complain Of Short Weight In Fertiliser Bags

Three points of dissatisfaction to farmers of the Tauriko branch were put forward in the form of remits to a meeting of the Bay of Plenty Sub-provincial executive of Federated Farmers (Auckland Province). All concerned fertiliser and were adopted. The first asked for the attention of shipping authorities to be drawn to the misuse of cargo hooks in the handling of fertiliser, as both paper the jute bags often arrive in a torn condition. Commenting on a remit asking what supervision there is to check the weight of bags of superphosphate, Mr E. J. Whyte of Katikati members expressed the opinion that was serious and it was only reasonable for farmers to expect full measure. The chairman, Mr R. W.Dunning, said the question had already been raised with the suppliers, who had pointed out that to ensure no variance supervision would be necessary. This would entail extra wages, which would have to be added to the cost of the fertiliser. He drew attention to the fact- that, where a discrepancy in weight was notified, the suppliers would willingly make up the deficiency. A request that lime bags be hand sewn instead of tied, to avoid considerable waste, comprised the third remit. Mr Dunning requested the names of the companies using such a system so that an approach could be made by the Federation. Several Childe’s ears keep time with his tying was entirely unsatisfactory and bags often came open in transit.