SUBSIDY RENEWED

Hokitika Guardian, 5 July 1932, Page 2

SUBSIDY RENEWED

ON SUPERPHOSPHATES. DECISION OF THE GOVERNMENT (Per Press Association — Copyright.) WELLINGTON, July 4. After going fully and comprehensively into tlie matter, the Government has decided to cont.nue its, superphosphate subsidy for another year at the same rate, viz., 11s - per ton, said the Minister of Agriculture, in a statement to-day. j At the result of discussions with the manufacturers the selling price of 1.4/46 per cent, superphosphate hac been reduced from £l/2/6 to £4 per tons for cash • free on rail from the work,v in the\North Island. It is also die basis of the South Island prices, but there is an earlier-established system of “free” or “fixed” selling points, at which a uniform, cash price is charged. This is arranged with the manufacturers bearing off r .dingo charges from the work and the cash price at each Iree point being £4 5s per- ton. These fixed points aia:— Hornby, Ashburton, Timaru, Gcmaru, Ravensbourile, Burnside, Bnlclutha, Gore and Invercargill; and 5s per ton represents the milage costs, The Minister’s statements says: The railage charge should operate auitably when it is regarding as apIplying to all' the southern users of superphosphate. An examination of past rosulte accruing from the superphosphate subsidy indicates very clearly how it benefited the Dominion, says the statement. The necessity for something being done was Realised when the use of pasture top dressings by dairy farmers began to fall away very i noticeably last year, especially in the North Island, and good reason existed for grave concern regarding the immediate outlook for the volume of dairy, produce available for export. Much of the land devotee! to intensive dairj farming is cf the type which would quickly fall away in productive capacity if not kept adequately fertilised. At the present time, with the low'Values for dairy produce existing and with the probability of a continuance of low values for a period, it is more than ever necessary to raise the volume of production to as high a level as possible, and the key to this lies in fertilising, combined with good farming.. Before - ' coming to ; its decision the Government gave careful consideration to representations made for extending the subsidly ,-ysi tern to other fertilisers than superphosphate, .but after examining the position, .it was decide to continue the subsidy, on the existing lines, except as regards the altered selling : price arrangements stated above.