SUCCESS OF CAMPAIGN

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 115, 10 February 1944, Page 6

SUCCESS OF CAMPAIGN

Contribution To War Effort

SPEECHES AT OPENING All ’ associated with the Dig f<A‘ Victor}’ campaign, the promoters of the exhibition and the exhibitors, were congratulated by the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, in declaring the exhibition open yesterday. He referred to the wonderful display of vegetables and flowers whicn had been grown despite a most trying and difficult season with first too much rain and then not enough. .those "'bo had stuck to the campaign bad in the exhibition a fine example of what could be achieved. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Mrs. Fraser and the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Roberts, the High Commissioner lor the United Kingdom in New Zealand, bir Harry Batterbee, and the Director-General ot Agriculture, Mr. E. J. Fawcett, were also present. , . , . The mayor, Mr. Hislop, praised the enthusiasm of the members of rhe Junior Chamber of Commerce, and said it was a further example of a true spirit ot citizenship. The exhibition was designed to stimulate the Dig for Victory campaign and so strengthen the country s war effort. The purpose of the campaign was to stimulate the interest of all citizens in the art of vegetable growing, so that everv available piece of land might be utilized for national production.. The benefits of this work would last longafter the war, and the knowledge gained would enable people to use their garden plots to the fullest extent, and would also give them healthy and profitable work in their leisure hours. , , . Mr. Roberts said that as he looked round at the display of vegetables and flowers he could not but help feeling very pleased with the whole-hearted response that had been made to the Dig for Victory campaign. During the next five years the food question throughout the world would probably be more acute than during the past, four or five years, and gardeners should do all they could : to redouble their efforts so as to provide vegetables' for themselves and their families, and, if they had any to spare, for the families of the boys fighting overseas. He hoped that gardeners would not’ only intensify their efforts, but communicate their enthusiasm to their neighbours.

The chairman of the exhibition committee, Mr. G. S. Nicoll, said that the Dig for Victor}- Campaign was inaugurated by the Government through the. Department of Agriculture to ensure an adequate supply of vegetables for the armed forces and an exemplification of the work done by the producers was contained in the exhibition. It was the policy of all junior chambers of commerce throughout the world to contribute as much assistance as possible to their communities and to play an active part in civic affairs. The Wellington Junior Chamber of Commerce, after its successful handling of the weapons for waste exhibition, had suggested the Dig for Victory exhibition in association with the Wellington and Hutt Valley Horticultural Societies. That their idea had been fully successful was evident in the array of exhibits. Mr. Fraser congratulated those responsible for the exhibition, the Wellington Junior Chamber of Commerce, the Wellington Horticultural Society, the Hutt Horticultural Society and the exhibitors. He referred to the work of the Department of Agriculture in stimulating the cultivation of vegetables, and the work it . had done in establishing farms to provide vegetables, for the armed forces. He had seen some of these extensive areas under intensive' cultivation. and if those who sometimes criticized when some little thing went wrong could realize the tremendous amount of work done by the department they would, he felt sure, speak more favourably of what had been achieved. The slogan. “Dig for Victory” had reached the hearts of the people. It was a wonderful exhibition, and all the more so when one realized the difficult season gardeners had had to contend with. Those engaged in the production of extra vegetables were making a valuable contribution to the war effort, for it enabled the fighting forces in the Pacific and the Middle East to get more in the form of dehydrated vegetables, and so.far.as the Pacific was concerned sometimes in the form of fresh vegetables.