TOMATO GROWING

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 129, 2 June 1936, Page 8

TOMATO GROWING

COOK ISLANDS TRADE

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—A cutting from your paper dated 25/5/36 has just reached me with reference to Cook Islands fruit and as a result of many inquiries, particularly from the North Island, in regard to what the Dominion Council of Tomato, Soft Fruit and Produce Growers is doing in reference to the importation of tomatoes from the Cook Islands, we wish to reassure growers that their interests are being watched very closely.

The delegation from the Cook Islands now in New Zealand are asking the Government for a minimum guaranteed price for tomatoes. We wish to point out that as an exportable commodity, tomatoes from the Islands are an economic failure and that to give a minimum guaranteed price for them would be a gross misappropriation of public money; the Islands have an indirect guarantee at present in the form of a grant from the New Zealand Treasury.

The following report taken from the report of the National Expenditure Commission dated 20/10/32, continuation of Parliamentary Paper A-3, 1931, shows the extent of the grant and recommendations: —"More interest than usual attached to the annual review of the Cook Islands Administration owing to the report of the National Expenditure Commission. After juxtaposing the bald figures of expenditure for the two periods 1914-15 and 1930-31 as £5063 and £27,273 respectively, and stating that the grant from the New Zealand Treasury in 1931-32 was £21,633, the Commission proceeds to recommend: —That immediate steps be taken to reduce the cost of administration, the increase in which (presumably between 1914-15 and 193031) it deems to be out of all proportion. To this end the Commission recommends—(a) That the Department be amalgamated with that ot External Affairs under one Permanent Head; and (b) that the grants from the New Zealand Treasury to the Cook Islands and Niue Administrations be reduced to £10,000, special mention being made of a reduction in the expenditure on education."

A considerable amount of this grant comes from the pockets of the New Zealand tomato grower as a taxpayer; the result is that he is bolstering up an unwanted industry which is in direct competition with him, and labour costs being so low in the Islands (the delegation report says 2s a day) it means the inevitable destruction of the industry withhvNew Zealand, whereas with a little foresight in planting tropical fruits of a variety that cannot be grown in New Zealand, it would be possible for the Islanders to render a service to New Zealand and at the same time improve their own economic welfare.

With the importation of tomatoes from the Islands there is always the possibility of the introduction of diseases which are of a very virulent nature; as was stated by one of the delegation it was not uncommon for them to have their consignments condemned with fruit fly and we cannot afford to ignore them. The delegates admit themselves that with tomatoes the case is almost hopeless. According to the report it would be economically sound to close the tomato industry in the Islands and substitute it with tropical-grown fruits; in doing so it would create an industry which would tend to make the Islands economically independent. Also, the present monthly shipping service would be adequate to handle the fruit and it would not be necessary to run a fortnightly service as suggested by the delegation; it would mean added cost and no more fruit carried, ultimately it would have to be heavily subsidised by the Government and in the end mean much dearer fruit. The M.V. Maui Pomare Revenue Account for the year ended March 31, 1932, showed a net loss of £91,124 8s Id for twelve trips to and from the Islands. On a fortnightly service this loss would be doubled, running costs increasing with the age of the ship. In view of all the above facts would this be sound business?—l am, etc., CHAS. E. POPE, President, Dominion Council of Tomato, Soft Fruit, and Produce Growers. Christchurch, June 1.