CLOSED TO FARMERS

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 53, Issue 32409, 20 March 1944, Page 3

CLOSED TO FARMERS

SALEYARDS AT NGATEA DECISION OF LOAN & MERC. ' Advice that in future the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company’s saleyards at 'Ngatea would be closed and not available for the convenience of the settlers of the district, was received at the monthly meeting: of the Hauraki Plains County Council. The Auckland manager wrote on February 18 to the council as under: “Further to your letter of the 14th. inst., with regard to Ngatea Saleyards, we would advise that when we •discontinued holding sales there the ■yards were purposely left open for the convenience of the settlers of t e district. However, as your council has commented unfavourably on the yards we are giving our local agent, Mr Leonard, instructions to see that the yards. are locked and on no account to be used. We will also give you our assurance that we will see to the matter of keeping them as tidy as possible. Trusting this will meet with your approval.” The county clerk, Mr E. A. Mahoney reported that he had replied as under: — “There are one or two things I would like to make clear. Your company was not singled out for criticism. Several months ago Messrs Buckland’s saleyards at Waitakarurii were commented on and cleaned up by that firm at the council’s request. “ Simultaneously with my writing to you, the Farmers’ Co-operative Auctioneering Company were forwarded a similar letter. There seems to be an erroneous idea abroad that one councillor was responsible for the council’s, request. This was not so. The discussion was general around the council table and applied equally to both- saleyards in Ngatea. “This letter is written without instruction from the council and ispurely ,to endeavour to correct misunderstandings that seem to be rife around the district.”