COMING TO FRUITION

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 237, 7 October 1942, Page 4

COMING TO FRUITION

VEGETABLE PROGRAMME

ARMY .AND CIVILIAN NEEDS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, this day. "Some considerable time ago the Government fully considered the possibility of a shortage of vegetables for the civilian population and the armed forces," saicf the Minist' . >f Marketing, Mr. Barclay. "After a survey of the position it was decided to take immediate action to ensure that the armed forces would be certain of securing their supplies during the coming season. For this reason I secured the approval of Cabinet in May last for the Department of Agriculture to undertake an extensive growing programme, 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 though 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 Commercial Gardeners. Mr. Barclay said he was satisfied that Individual producers throughout the country were facing up to the position and doing everything possible to ensure maximum production. The eight points stressed by the growers' executive were, in the main, concerned with manpower, and while it might not be possible to establish a reservoir of full-time competent labour, growers could be 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, an approach to obtaining such labour must, be made by use of appropriate machinery, which was already established for the purpose.