LIME TRANSPORT ASSISTANCE

Lake County Mail, Issue 43, 31 March 1948, Page 6

LIME TRANSPORT ASSISTANCE

As is common with any new scheme governed by regulations, full understanding of the Lime Transport Assistance plan appears to be lacking. Federated Farmers, at head office in Wellington, is continually receiving queries from farmers, many of whom have a wrong conception of the details involved. The whole scheme is being administered by the Department of Agriculture, the federation explains. No casli allowances are made but the department pays the concessions to the Lime Suppliers and the Railways Department. They in turn, make corresponding credits to farmers for both the rail concession and road allowances. Instead, therefore, of making claims, farmers furnish special cartage declarations to their lime suppliers. In the case of road deliveries only, the credit is shown on the farmer’s invoice and he pays only the net amount. Once a farmer files a declaration with his supplier, that form stands for all future orders. No further declarations are necessary. Two declarations, both perfectly simple are available. No. 1 is for cases in which road delivery follows rail transport. No. 2 is for cases in which delivery by road only. In the case of a farmer carting his own lime by road, he receives the usual credit of 4d a ton mile after the first three miles. That credit is shown on his invoice. In other words he is treated the same as the ordinary carrier. The scheme came into operation on January 5 last. For deliveries on and after November 24, until the crediting system became operative by all lime suppliers, farmers were charged in full. They will, Jiowever, receive remittances equal to the rail concessions and road allowances, if they have not already done so. The position concerning those farmers, who rely on water transport for their lime delivery, has now been clarrified. Because of the varying water freight rates, it was not possible for transport allowances to be dealt with as simply as those for rail and road, by the usual crediting method. The position now is, however, that water freight allowances arc on the principle that the farmer pays the first 3s 8d per ton of the water freight charge and 50 per cent, of the freight thereafter. He notifies his lime supplier that he is eligible for the allowance and the supplier endorses that fact on the consignment note. The allowance is then claimed by a claim on the Department of Agriculture, the claim being supported by a receipted invoice for the water freight. In addition, when the distance from the water unloading point to the farm gate exceeds three miles, the usual road allowance is payable and that can be claimed at the same time as the water freight allowance. That part of the claim must be supported by a No. 1 declaration duly amended for water transport in place of rail transport. Farmers claiming these allowances will receive remittances direct from the Department of Agriculture. Where lime spreading contractors also conduct a delivery service, lime suppliers are authorised to rail lime to them at the Lime Transport Assistance rates. The contractors then grant the farmers the road allowance to which they would have been entitled had they been the consignees of the lime instead of the contractors. The farmer must complete the No. 1 Declaration and give it to the contractor at the time when arrangements are made to carry out the work. The contractor claims from the Department of Agriculture for the allowances which he grants on his invoices to farmers.