VEGETABLES FOR THE FORCES

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23753, 26 September 1942, Page 4

VEGETABLES FOR THE FORCES

SUPPLYING CANNING

INDUSTRY MAXIMUM OUTPUT REQUIRED An appeal for the maximum production of vegetables (particularly for canning for the armed forces) coupled with suggestions to meet the labour problem in New Zealand was made to North Canterbury growers on Friday morning by Captain B. V. Cooksley, who has been lent by the Army to be liaison officer between the Minister of Primary Production for War Purposes (the Hon. W. J. Poison) and the growers. Captain Cooksley is president ot the New Zealand Federation of Market Gardeners. The meeting was convened by the North Canterbury Primary duction Council and the chairman (Mr R. T. McMillan) presided. United Nations forces in the Pacific especially required vegetables and where they could not be grown fresh they would be supplied canned, said Captain Coeksley. This had brought about new enterprises in New Zealand and great steps had been made in canning and dehydrating vegetables. Among the demands being made to the growers this year was an order for 5000 tons of tomatoes to fill 5,000.000 cans of more than the average size. The North Island alone was being asked to supply 1000 tons of carrots for canning. Dehydration Plant

In addition an adequate supply of fresh vegetables must be maintained for the home workers in New Zealand, Captain Cooksley said. It would therefore be seen that the growing of vegetables was of first importance. A dehydration plant would be operating in Hawke's Bay by Christmas. Since 16 tons of cabbage were required to produce one ,ton of the dried product it would be seen that enormous quantities wore required. The seed situation was not as bad as pome people thought, Captain Cooksley said. Supplies from Czechoslovakia and Denmark had been cut off but New Zealand was in a happier position than many other units of the United Nations and had indeed been able to export certain lines of seeds. Petrol Supplies

The complications of 30-day periods for petrol licences for vegetablegrowers, who depended on the weather to progress with their work, had been pointed out and the Minister had now approved the drawing of petrol for a 90-day period by growers. A new scheme of 40-day release from camp for workers had also been introduced to meet growers’ needs. Captain Cooksley advocated'the importation of Italian prisoners of war to assist in production as in other parts, of the British Empire and the meeting approved the Government investigating the possibilities of such action. A request was made to growers to support the campaign to be launched soon by Mrs A. N. Grigg, M.P., and Mrs M. M. Dreaver, M.P., to gain recruits for the Women’s Land Army. Captain Cooksley said it might be necessary to secure exemption from Home Guard service for workers during the busy season and there had been a suggestion that the Home Guard might help in the harvest. Suggestions were also made about the organisation of school children to help during the holidays and of town workers to assist during the week-end.