STATE AND GROWERS

Evening Post, Issue 145, 22 December 1928, Page 10

STATE AND GROWERS

.:.■■-.-[■■.■■.''.:■;,,.; .'.. „.♦..,.,, „■..; A-vv;- :■■„«*■■■■' CO-OPERATIVE^CANNING ;:v :■ ;T % :G-oyER]si;MENT>AiD }:£":B;l' „ In Victoria the. Government-lias'lent a gobi deal of money; ; _to co-operative brgauisatioiis;iiko freezing works-rmdneyi th a t /tii o : State mays never .collect—but the demand ;of; co-operatives:for, Stataaid A: '.■■; Melbourne■.:-. paper writes:—; .-."■■■ .. ■"■..■;''■:.'■:'.■■ '':'■-■-.■ , '-.'. ■' • iEcquests, to tlio Premier. (Sir William M'Piiersoii)1.: f or^. -i nnancial •'. assistance f roni i.tlio: Ministry': f or,,the.coining, sea-; son"::-f'or\:',th'o; ;co-opcratiye:i canneries:; in thoGoulburn Valley'are :caiising: grave concern to: fruitgrowers in; other -part* of the State. Therei are '.indications that if this:assistance is.giyeirthrouglv the. co-operative canneries :■ to th ft growers-of the Goulburn,: Valley sit will result immediately in: a substantial curtailment of other markets. Growers who will be affected poiiitout that;for-this reason•■ marketing .difficulties will not be- ■ solved, but merely .transferred; frbrn-one distinct to-another. -While the;..-jpi;es.enfc• marketsof many bf the .orchardists ar» provided by proprietary canneries, wliicli have been .able, to operato successfully, without State, assistance,; -they; wilLbp replaced :by ; . co-operative .'./'.rc.ap.nerie?*' ■mony';:of .Tyhich,- sb; far, ,havo. : ,api:been ablo.to.Vdo' so. -;:,:;,; '> .■;-;.- : ; ; ;-; ; In the fruitgrowing districts to, tho north-west of- Rochester ..many, growers send.their produce to .proprietary'works at Beridigo. and "Melbourne.; ::They'.express satisfaction .with-i the rtroatment they have received from the proprietary canneries, and say ;■ that ,in,-the, past they have been'1 able to find a ready;inar-. ket for .their fruit; Manyof-themihaye. been informed recently : ithat.',if further ffmancial; assistance from ■-. the/ Staters .assured ;"to the coroperative . caaineries in. theGoulburnValleyithepr.oclueefrom the proprietary companies .will bc/iinable to compete-with;the. subsidised; out;put from.the co-operatiye.oi-ganisatioiip, ■ and proprietary operations v,wilL'-<th'en. cither bo suspended entirely or. substaii--'tially reduced. -. Many:growers ;say.:th'at they have been informed that if... ,tho State Ministry makes a further.:giiarauteo.to the, co-operative companies:cevtiiin of the proprietary-canneries" tt> Avltieh .they: seridythcir: fruit 'will ;hW process apricots' this, season. This;; will mean that unless: the growers'.concerned are- ;able to scnd;.their. apricots "'to ono of the co-operative canneries-they will have no market: fort th em,;- andywill lose1 th c -whole' crop, as; other-proprie-tary companies would be mi able to deal with thoglut oir the Market.; -.-: ': %:'--. ■■• ;. ■v:' Several- objectionsVare>raisedi?t6rtth» lnarkotiug of. fruit at- the. co-operative' canneries. It isipointed!>out, inthefiist: place, that: they are; not.i'so' accessible: .by rail; as ■ the proprietary; companies 'which"now receive the fruit. The highbr rail freights which must be.paid to, the co-operative works:; therefore:'1, , growers,', return's. In -addition,: it:is stat-; cd that, the prices paid;by! the"co:6per-;: ativo^companies areJ:lower than •those obtainable', from, proprietary .companies; ■ Exception is;'taken ;:!to; the; methods adopted by ;the co-operativ J e. wprks:;::;:m; making,: payments.':1 ;= ltj:.is?stated,;that;: the money :is not ;always;paid:promptlyj;: and: is: sometimes^; paid>by .instalmerit^ extending over long • .periods. It is- asserted that in .sonie,:cases •growersiliaye;; not yet received the full amounts..'dua^ to them; for^; fruit; supplied.: last? • season.,',