FARMING AFFAIRS

Lake County Mail, Issue 11, 6 August 1947, Page 2

FARMING AFFAIRS

This column is supplied weekly by Federated Farmers’ of New Zealand. The information given is official, but any views expressed are those of the Federation and are not necessarily those of this newspaper.

STEEL FOR FARM IMPLEMENTS . Within the next few weeks all steel available from Australia should have arrived in New Zealand. The Shipping Controller has arranged for sufficient shipping tonnage to lift the supplies available, including steel supplied against orders from agricultural implements manufacturers placed with Broken Hill Pty. ; Ltd., through the steel merchants. That information has .just been received by head office of Federated Farmers from the Minister of Supply.

The shortage of steel supplies for implement manufacture was recently taken up by the Federation with the Minister. In its representations, the Federation said that information had been received that good engineers’ steel had been used fdr luxury building, while implement manufacturers were going short. One manufacturer had reported that he had 7-5 manure distributors on order, some for over 12 months. Orders for grass harrow's were similarly in arrears, all because of the shortage of steel. The Federation therefore asked that some steps should be taken to make a greater allocation of steel for implement manufacture. Primary, production should not be limited by a build-

ing programme of a nature requiring the use of steel.

The Minister denied knowledge of any luxury building in New Zealand at present. Steel of all description was, however, in extremely short supply, and the extra shipping tonnage made available would help the position

to some degree. No control in the allocation of steel for implement hianufaeture was exercised by the Industries and Commerce Department, said Mr Nordmeyer. The Department had, however, endeavoured to obtain larger allocations and better shipments from both the United Kingdom and Australia. The result of that endeavour was being reflected in the increased .quantities now coming to hand. The Minister suggested that members of Federated Farmers should maintain close touch with their respective merchants with a view to sharing in the distribution of the steel as it becomes available

EARTHQUAKE INSURANCE

The Minister of Finance has advised the Federation that he does not agree that crops should be excluded from the scheme for insurance against earthquake under the Earthquake and War Damage Act as asked for by a resolution of the Agriculture Section Council. That Act was based upon the principle of requiring all fire insurance contracts to carry earthquake insurance and contribute to the fund at the rate of Is per cent. The Agriculture Section claimed that the need for the indemnification of crops against earthquake risk was absurd. Mr Nash, in his reply, claimed that the risk of damage to crops by earthquake was real, that under certain conditions earthquake could cause serious loss. Fire caused by earthquake—liability for which was excluded from an ordinary fire policy—might very easily spread, he argued, to stack and standing crops, particularly in dry weather.

There was also the risk of flood

damage which might be directly caused by earthquake, and New Zealand had only recently the experience of tidal waves which would have done much damage if the area affected had

been in crops. Mr Nash regretted that he did not agree that it would be proper to give the exemption asked for by the Federation.