FACING BANKRUPTCY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 29, 4 February 1937, Page 11

FACING BANKRUPTCY.

FRUITGROWER*' *6irXlOll.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) \ymt&ON, - Wej§>seday. "I think the bulkof • %r& practically on the verge of bankruptcy— the'small growers, anyway," remarked a carrier when examined at a. meeting of the No. 3 Transport Licensing Authority as to the large amount of outstanding debts shown on hia balancesheet.

He said that last year he cut a number of growers out, and was going to cut 1 more out this year. Witness said strong representations had been made to the Fruitgrowers' Federation for carriers to be paid by the federation, but they did not get any satisfaction. They had asked the federation to deduct a portion of the Government grant, which ineluded an amount for payment of cartage. The chairman, Mr. T. H. Langford, ■aid it seemed an unjust situation. The number of sundry debtors in the balance sheets was' outrageous. There was something radically wrong. As the Minister said recently, the * fruit industry was in a chaotic state. He was trying to get all the information he could to hand on to the Minister, and the carriers seemed to be largely concerned.