SACKS EXTRA

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21206, 31 August 1940, Page 9

SACKS EXTRA

PRICE OF FERTILISER ALLOWANCE ON RETURNOWN MAY BE FORWARDED (By Telegraph.—Special to Times) WELLINGTON, Friday The price and conditions of sale of superphosphates were dealt with tonigftt by the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Lee Martin, in a statement. The Government’s policy since the outbreak of war, he said, had been to maintain the price of superphosphates at the pre-war level. The Government, however, considered it necessary to encourage a system of economy in the use of fertiliser sacks, said the Minister, and for that reason a variation in the conditions of sale was being made, whereby the superphosphate would be invoiced to the farmers on the basis of sacks extra, with a stipulated allowance on all empty sacks returned within 90 days in serviceable condition. For the present the new arrangement applied only to the North Island, but toward the end of September the position as it affected the South Island would be reviewed. The new price for the North Island for superphosphate packed in 12 or 16 sacks to the ton would be £3 9s 6d a ton, sacks extra. The Minister stated that the industry at present used more than 7,000,000 sacks annually. The details of prices now current in the North Island had been published in a price order issued by the Price Tribunal, Mr Lee Martin stated. Provision was made also whereby farmers who forwarded their own sacks for filling with superphosphate would be charged the bulk price of the fertiliser, increased by 2s 6d a ton as the filling charge.