VEGETABLE SUPPLY

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 120, 16 February 1944, Page 6

VEGETABLE SUPPLY

Grave Shortage Predicted In Auckland LABOUR difficulties Dominion Special Service. ' , ■ AUCKLAND, February 15. A grave shortage of all vegetables within the next two or three months, brought about mainly by the commercial growers’ complete inability to obtain suitable and efficient labour, was predicted by Mr. M. McDougall; Pukekohe, at a meeting of the Auckland District Council of Primary Production yesterday. Mr. McDougall said that some growers bad been forced to plough in large crops because no labour could be obtained to attend to the plants. If householders wished to avoid having to go without vegetables in the neat' future their only resort was to attempt to produce their own. Difficulties in connexion with water supplies which would face both commercial and home growers were outlined by Mr. C. S. McCallum. One read of prosecutions against householders for using hoses, he said, and yet people were expected to grow more vegetables. The chairman. Mr. R. C. Clark, put forward a proposal which he had made some time ago to use prisoners of war under supervision from a central camp. It would be only- practicable to use the prisoners on the State projects, where a large number could be under the same control. . . - A resolution expressing the desirability of putting prisoners of war to work oii vegetable production, particularly on the State projects, was carried.. Other suggestions for obtaining more labour were made. Mr. O. G. Brightwell thought that the crowds of young people who indulged in tennis and other sports at the weekend could obtain the same recreation in commercial gardens. Greater utilization of Maori labour was’urged by Mr. L. C. Logan, and a motion was carried suggesting a survey of Maori manpower with a view to direction to essential services. POSITION IN WELLINGTON A representative of the Agricultural Department stated that the cause of any shortage of vegetables in the Wellington district would be the dry season rather than labpur shortage. The result of the dry weather, he said, would be felt during the autumn months, and the shortage, if there was one. would be mainly due to the weather. Inquiry at the National Service Department Manpower Division indicated that no alarming shortage of labour for vegetable growing had become apparent in the Wellington district. Before Christmas the problem was discussed with commercial growers. Requirements were met from students and .pupils during their holidays. “We have had no cries of despair from the vegetable growers,” said one representative, “and so far as we know they are getting along all right.”