THE PUTARURU PRESS. ’Phone 28 – – – P.O. Box 44 Office ... – Oxford Place THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1928. TOKOROA AND EFFICIENCY.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 253, 6 September 1928, Page 4

THE PUTARURU PRESS. ’Phone 28 - - - P.O. Box 44 Office ... - Oxford Place THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1928. TOKOROA AND EFFICIENCY.

IF the chairman of the Taupo Totara Timber Company felt that he received somewhat of a mixed reception from settlers at Tokoroa last week, he can take it that it was because he perhaps failed to appreciate the deeper feelings of those who he addressed.

Mr. Dalziel had a good theme when he stressed the need for thorough efficiency. He recounted liow Mr. Coates had become imbued with the desirability of securing the utmost efficiency in all avenues of business; how the Prime Minister was straining every nerve to this end; how the Sawmillers’ Association had adopted the idea, etc. Keeping on in this strain the speaker kept reiterating the necessity of local farmers becoming efficient, only breaking off to advise them to leave the railway alone or to answer questions. In view of the fact that Tokoroa cheese has won the Dominion championship once and the Auckland provincial championship twice; that the settlers have won out on pastures generally looked upon in other parts as being totally deficient in iron salt; that they have a solid body in the local Progress League, which has organised lectures and visits by Government experts galore; that if any body of farmers know how to make one pound do the work of two, local farmers do; and that their chief ai-n is to get cheap manures by means of Government through rates, it is no wonder that some of them felt slightly hurt at the general tenor adopted all unconsciously by Mr. Dalziel in his remarks.

Briefly put, the position may be summarised as follows: The utmost efficiency is essential in any business if the greatest amount of success is to be achieved. Two of the main requirements for efficiency in fanning are: (1) Cheap and readily avrilible; finance; (2) a plentiful supply of manures at the lowest possible cost. To secure these main requirements the settlers and town organisations have been battling for years without success. The first has been consistently refused by the Government in the past. Though signs are now to hand that attention to the matter will shortly be given in the right quarters. In regard to the second, it is felt that more use could be made of the Taupo Totara Timber Co.’s light railway with great advantages to settlement and at little or no Inconvenience to the owners. In the manoeuvres of the chess-like game of big business, it is generally held that the settlers’ interests are being overlooked or side-tracked. The present agitation, therefore, is at bedrock, simply and endeavour to convince the Government and other parties interested, that it will be to the benefit of all to recognise that their interests are wholly mutual —- the rendering of efficient service to the community as a whole, or the greatest good for the greatest number.

At the Putaruru meeting which followed that at Tokoroa, the , company offered a reduction in freights of 33 1-3 per cent on manures and 20 per cent on general goods. That is a start in the right direction, rr d it is for experts to first of all give reasons for accepting or rejecting this offer. The Government is committed to the development of pumice country, and in view of this no finer area for experimental purposes could be found than Tokoroa. With this basis it would seem that, provided the will to achieve is .there, Tokoroa area should shortly come into its own. '