GOVERNMENT AID.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 247, 19 October 1939, Page 15

GOVERNMENT AID.

LEMON GROWERS'NEED

DEPUTATION TO MR. NASH

INVESTIGATION OF COSTS.

Disappointment that no tangible results came from the representations made to Mr. F. R. Picot on Tuesday is expressed by Auckland lemon growers. After discussing the plight of lemon growers owing to the low returns under the Government marketing scheme, a conference of some 60 growers appointed a committee to consult the Citrus Advisory Council and the Internal Marketing Division in the afternoon.

Captain J. A. Lambden, chairman of the conference, said this morning that it had been decided at the afternoon session to hold an investigation into the cost of production of lemons in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture and the Internal Marketing Division. Costs will be taken from about 20 typical orchards of five acres or more and will then lie co-ordinated. When this is done a deputation will "ait on the Hon. W. Nash. Minister of Marketing, and endeavour to obtain a guaranteed price sufficient to cover costs and to give growers and their employees a reasonable return for their work.

In the matter of obtaining financial assistance for growers to tide them over their present difficulties due to the crop failure and low prices the committee was advised by Mr. Picot that such assistance could be obtained only from the Minister of Marketing and accordingly they had decided to wait on the Mmister at the earliest possible date.

Meantime, while the investigation into costs is l>eing made, growers complain that they are in serious straits anil cannot go ori producing at the present price. One grower approached this morning said that they had been "sold a pup" by the Government and that none of the benefits promised from the marketing scheme introduced last May had actually resulted.

A guaranteed price averaging 6/6 per bushel had lieon promised, but owing to the poor crop and hard grading the return had actually been round 4/4 per bushel, according to statements made at the meeting. At this rate the growers claim that they cannot pay costs, and that the trees, which urgently need pruning and manuring, are in a bad state becuse, owing to their serious financial plight, the growers cannot pay for the labour and materials necessary to put their orchards in order.

Several growers state that they have already commenced to cut back their trees so that they will not bear again for three more years, while others intend to cut them out altogether and grow vegetables or graze cows on the land. It i 3 stated that unless action is taken promptly the condition of the industry will continue to deteriorate and many growers will be forced out of production.