TRADE IN ONIONS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 172, 17 April 1937, Page 11

TRADE IN ONIONS

Abuse of' Regulations Alleged ACTION TO BE TAKEN A group of Wellington produce buyers met the Director-General of Agriculture, Mr. A. 11. Cockayne, yesterday to discuss the difficulties and misunderstandings arising out of the Board of Trade (Onion) Regulations that came into operation recently. The main contention of the buyers was the unsatisfactory grading of onions received from agents and farmers of the South Island. Onions graded by the farmers as No. 1 have proved on inspection to toe not up to the standard required, and considerable delay and inconvenience has been experienced in selling such consignments, as the buyers are prohibited from selling such onions without a special permit from the department. The Director-General said that all producers concerned in the trade had had the position explained to them by letter, and that the responsibility was theirs in cases where consignments were not up to standard. He stated that the present abuse of the system would be rectified by immediate and drastic action by the department. Under the present state of affairs producers were avoiding the purpose of the regulations, and their co-operation in almost every case was lacking.