PRODUCE GROWERS
Importance Of Industry
MINISTER’S ADDRESS TO
CONFERENCE
“From the nutritive aspect the sui>ply of small fruit, ami vegetables is of particular importance,” said the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. W. Lee Martin, in an address at the annual conference of the Dominion council of the New Zealand tomato, berry fruit, and produce growers, in Wellington yesterday.
The Minister said he was jileased to see present a gathering representative of all parts of New Zealand, and including their Chinese friends, whom he understood were present by invitation. All were concerned with the development of the industry, and they could progress only by harmoniously working together. In the Dominion, continued the Minister, there were 5871 acres of market gardens, comprising approximately 1000 holdings. The value of the crops produced was about £1,000,000, and the transport costs on the railways amounted to about £50,000. Those figures gave some indication of the importance of the industry. The Department of Agriculture had tried to assist the industry by appointing an instructor in horticulture whose duty was to assist market gardeners, for it was the desire of the Government to give every aid possible in the increasing of efficiency. A great deal of attention was being" given by the plant disease division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research to the problems of disease in fruit and vegetables. The Department of Agriculture had also tried to assist in providing facilities in the "Journal of Agriculture” for the needs of the industry in the dissemination of knowledge among growers. The journal had been revised and put upon a different basis from what it was when it was- largely technical. Now it had become popularised, and most of the articles were written in plain language, so that everyone would understand what they were reading, instead of having to skip over all kinds of technical terms. The journal was up-to-date and existed for the use of those engaged in primary production. Wage Agreement. Growers bad had some experience during the past season of the w age agreement that was entered into -between the Minister of Labour and the industry, Mr. Lee Martin proceeded, but he personally was not fully aware of how the agreement was working as it did not come within his province. The conference, however, would no doubt discuss the matter, and if there were any points which were thought worthy of representing either to himself or to the Minister of Labour they would be glad to receive such representations. Referring to the standardisation of the quality of fruit and certain vegetables. the Minister said that the organisation of the market gardening industrv was surrounded by tremendous difficulties, but the co-operation of the industry had been sought in the attempt to -bring about some system that would be beneficial to the growers and at the same time result in more equal distribution and more valuable production. The Minister referred to. the important part played by the seasons in the market gardening industry. The intimate knowledge possessed by the delegates to the conference might well be of assistance in guiding the Government. It was the desire of the Government, he said, that all those who rendered service should have a just reward. That had -been the underlying principle in the policy'which the Government had been putting into operation, but it was not easy of accomplishment. Government’s Sympathy.
“I, as Minister of Agriculture, and my officers,” said the Minister, “are vitally concerned in the industry, and we have tried as far as we have lieen able to render service to the industry. I know that some people have the idea that we have not done all we should have done, but it is not because we have not been desirous of doing that, but because of difficulties and complications associated with your industry.” Conferences such as the present one, said the Minister, were of great value in assisting to bring about the organisation in the industry which was so desirable if it was to make progress. If there were any matters upon which the conference wished to make representations, the Government would lx? pleased to hear them and to give them due consideration.
The Minister was thanked for his address by Mr. ('. E. Pope, Christchurch, wlio presided.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19380708.2.142
Bibliographic details
Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 241, 8 July 1938, Page 16
Word Count
710PRODUCE GROWERS Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 241, 8 July 1938, Page 16
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