GOVERNMENT SCHEME.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 306, 8 October 1942, Page 2

GOVERNMENT SCHEME.

VEGETABLES FOR THE FORCES. MR BARCLAY REVIEWS PROGRESS. (P.A.) WELLINGTON, October 7. “Some time ago the Government fully considered the possibility of a shortage of vegetables occurring for the civilian population and the armed forces,” said the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. J. G. Barclay). “After a survey of the position, it, was de- 1 cided to take immediate action to ensure that the armed forces, would be certain to secure their supplies during the coming season. “For this reason I secured the approval of the Cabinet in May last for the Department of Agriculture to undertake an extensive growing pro - gramme, and I am pleased to be able to report that this plan is developing successfully and will be coming to fruition toward the end of the present year.” The Minister said that although the department’s programme was designed to protect the needs of the armed forces he recognised the necessity of maintaining supplies for the civilian population and the production of specific types of vegetables required for canning, and he had thus welcomed last week’s deputation from the Dominion Council of the Commercial Gardeners’ Federation. The Minister said that he was satisfied that individual producers throughout the country were facing the position and doing everything possible to ensure the maximum production.

The eight points emphasised by the growers’ executive were in the main concerned with man-power, and while it might not be possible to establish a reservoir of full-time competent labour, growers canid rest assured that every assistance -would be given by the organisation of women, secondary school pupils, and male labour outside the armed forces. At the same time, however, the approach to obtaining such labour must be made by use of the appropriate machinery which was already established for the purpose. . Growers’ Comment. “The institution of the programme of vegetable production for the armed forces under the control of the Department of Agriculture, as stated by the Minister, is well known to us,” said Mr L. V. Phillips, secretary of the Dominion Council of Commercial Gardeners, “arid we hope the venture will be successful. But it is on the shoulders of the commercial grower that the responsibility -rests of supplying the canning factories with their vast requirements, and it is he who must provide for the civilian demand. “We can only reiterate, as a council, that the commercial growers of the the Dominion acted from a sense of duty in informing the public of New Zealand of the grave possibility of the Dominion’s falling down on her commitments for vegetable production. This is a matter which should not become controversial. It is one which should be tackled in a calm, analytical manner, and an endeavour- should he made to face the problem and not run away from it.

“The time for investigation and experiment has -passed, and all risks must be minimised. The urgency of the matter demands immediate action, and we have shown how the best use can be made of the existing -production facilities.”