FOOD SUPPLIES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 238, 8 October 1942, Page 4

FOOD SUPPLIES

THE Minister of Agriculture expresses his satisfaction with the progress * of vegetable growing in the Dominion, and confidence that by the end of this year the Department's plan will be coming to fruition. The needs of both the army and civilians are being cared for, he says, and a lupply of labour will be available during the peak periods. This is the moot encouraging statement which both the grower and the unfortunate consumer, who is paying very heavily for most of his requirements, have heard. Figures in support of the Minister's confidence would be helpful, for just a doubt remains as to whether it is the plan, or the vegetables, which will come to fruition at the end of the year. If it is only the plan then we will still have to wait long for a return of plenty, for the producing period is now fully upon us, and before long the rate of growth will begin to slacken down. The Minister's references to labour supply, which lies at the bottom of all the trouble, are not altogether reassuring. He says that women, secondary school pupils and men not required for the Armed Forces will form a pool to assist the grower. But the school pupil will only be available in the brief holiday periods. The Land Army is beginning to make inroads upon the reservoir of women power available for the producer, and there are many competitors for the men not required by the army. Many farmers are at their wits' end to secure help, despite the number of men released from the army, and they will be eager competitors for whatever manpower Mr. Barclay thinks he has available. The indifferent practical results which came from the first six months of land army recruitment make one a little sceptical of the Minister's assurances. A plain statement of the number available to the market gardener would be of the greatest interest, and It should be made, lest at both seed-time and harvest the grower should suddenly find that the promised reservoir is not even a cistern, as was the case with the women's army of the land until disclosure of the facts led to a complete revision of the recruiting system