GOVERNMENT AS WINEPRODUCER.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 23, 28 January 1908, Page 2

GOVERNMENT AS WINEPRODUCER.

MINISTERIAL DECISION. [By Telegbath — Special to Tin: Post.} AUCKLAND, This Day. The Hon. R. M'Nab, who was at Hamilton yesterday, was questioned by a Herald reporter in regard lo the recent removal oi a portion of the vineyards at Wa«rengn. In reply, ha said : — "When I became Minister and looked into the work of this experimental staI tion, 1 found th«t it was developing | into a wine-producing station, and tho question then, arose as to whether the Government was to bacome a -nine producer, or to confla* itself to th* experimental work for which the- station was primarily established. I considered the. question carefully, and I decided that the station should be vrorked purely for experimentalpurposffs. I found that the work at Waerenga had passed that 3tage, and that it was b»ing run on a calcnlstion of the receipt ef a large revenue from the regular gale of wine. The \v«rk was accordingly cut down to the experimental stag*. ' The scheme of wine producing, " added tho Hon. Mr. M'Nab, "had no friends. Some people appear to have- thought that it was opposed only by the. fcsmpcranca people, but really its greatest enemies were those in the- trade. They were horrified at tho idea of the Goternmemft entering into, competition, with them. 11 -