LIME SUPPLIES

Marlborough Express, Volume LXXVI, Issue 247, 20 October 1942, Page 2

LIME SUPPLIES

QUESTION OF DISTRIBUTION. NO COMPULSORY RATlONING.

PA.

WELLINGTON, Oct. 20.

The Department of Agriculture had not considered any compulscry scheme of lime rationing, stated the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Barclay, yesterday in replying to an urgent question by Mr Boswell (Government, Bay of Islands). In a note to his question, Mr Boswell said there was an impression among farmers that because of transport difficulties a 30 per cent. reduction in uine deliveries was under consideration by the Government. Mr Barclay said that consequent on meetings of represencatives of lime companies and the Depariment of Agriculture and Transport held recently, there was an impression among producors that compulsory rationing was to be introduced by the Government. An attempt to do. this would raise extreme difliculties, and in many cases would not be reasonable in that lime companies in isolated areas might not require transport for deiivery beyond that supplied by the farmcr himself. At the same time farmers. would recognise the difliculties arising from the tyre and petrol position and the unprecedcntcd calls on rolling stock for other purposes. In order that inequalities and difficulties. might be overcome to the greatest possible cxtent, he had asked all primary production councils to discuss the question. of lime distalbution and to. meet company representatives in their districts and endeavour to smooth out the difficulties being cxperienced by both companies and farmers. Councils and lime companies shoui.d make imutual arrangements in their areas for the distributioii of lime on an equita.ble basis. v