CONTRACTS FOR VEGETABLES

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24075, 11 October 1943, Page 6

CONTRACTS FOR VEGETABLES

GROWERS NOT SATISFIED

PROPOSALS TO BE] RECONSIDERED

! As a result of representations made 1 by growers’ representatives to the ' Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser). ■ the Government’s proposals to intro- ; duce a contract system for this season s . vegetable crops have been referred ; back to" the Stabilisation Commission. ' Mr G. Knowles, vice-president of the ■ Christchurch Commercial Gardeners’ • Association, informed “The Press” yes- ’ terday that he had received this in- • formation from the Dominion Council ‘ of Commercial Gardeners. - It is expected that this delay in m- ‘ troducing the contract system will also • mean delay in bringing down the stan- “■ —dard specifications for vegetables, which were W have been related to the grades and prices established by the contract system. it Negotiations between the Government and growers have oeen proceeding, since December of last year. At a preliminary conference held then to afccuss ways of organising vegetable production, the interested parties dis- .... cussed three methods: the contract system, whereby, growers would sign contracts to grow vegetable crops at predetermined prices; the maximumminimum system, whereby prices - ■ would be held under a ceiling, while - growers were guaranteed a minimum ' price; and a straight-out ceiling price limitation such as operates on a number of vegetable crops at present. Growers recommended the adoption of • the maximum-minimum system; but after several more conferences the Government announced in March last that it intended to proceed with the contract system.' Since then the Dominion Council of Commercial Gardeners has received many representations from associations throughout New Zealand, and these were recently passed on to the Prime Minister by the president of the council (Mr B. V. Cooksley). The negotiations had throughout been carried through in a conciliatory spirit, said Mr Knowles. There had been plenty of evidence that most growers held the contract system in disfavour and preferred the maximum-minimum system, which had the advantage that it could be put into effect at short notice. It also fulfilled all the require- ■ ments of stabilisation, and protected the interests of retailers, wholesalers, and the consumers. Christchurch growers will discuss this development during this week.