SITUATION SAID TO BE CRITICAL; DISTRICT FARMERS DISTURBED

Chronicle (Levin), 19 December 1946, Page 4

SITUATION SAID TO BE CRITICAL; DISTRICT FARMERS DISTURBED

For the second ^ .ti?ne vyithin , a sjbort span of month^, poultry farmers in the North Island are again facing an acutp shortage of poultry feed, and unless the situaticn is^ relieved within the next few days there is a grave possibility^ that poultrymen, particularly those op.erating small farms, will be pnable to keep their stock alive. Supplies of ?iny type were unobtgiipahl^ in Leyin ap.d district thi§ mprning. One large retail Rrm said it rep.eiving hcurly appeals for supplies from all parts of the district, but was wuuble to meet the demand.

Gne poultry-keeper told .a "Chronicle" representative • this morning that his supplies were so low that unless there was immediate relief he would have to kill his fowls. Poultry could be kept alive, and no more. on the scraps ahd alternative. food he would shortly be called upon to use. Asked by "The Qhronicle" this morning to comment on the situation, the superintendent of poultry husbandry, of the Departjnent of Agriculture, Mr. C. F. E. Bobby, attributed the shortage mainly to shipping difficulties between the South and North Islands. The North Island poultry-keepers depended entirely on supplies from the South, and dislocations in the inter-island s'ervice resulted in shortaees of this nature. Small supplies were trickling through and I these were heing distributed with all expediency.

Mr. Bobby said he cpufd giy.e no indtcation as to when suppljes would arrive in any quantity, but a shipment of barley was expected jn a few days and this would help to relieve the situation. The department and the Government was dpfng everythino- possible to expedjte^ "shipments, and any su^hes that came to hand were being sent straifht out again. 4 hold up in supplies of grain from Australia was flsq an attpibutihg factor. Mr. Bqbby statedShipments from that country were overdue, as difficulty had been experienced in transp^^ting the grain to the sea ports. The failure pf crops in New South Wales ,was fur~ ther complicating the sitpation. /■ Officers from the departmept were at present neootiating with Australian officials regarding futuresupplies, and nothinc further would be known till these negotiations were completed.