SHOULD BE SHARED

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 32, 6 August 1941, Page 8

SHOULD BE SHARED

HELP TO INDUSTRY

A COMMUNITY PROBLEM

FRUIT GROWERS MEET

"It is a cardinal point in the policy of the Government that where any industry receives a heavy blow in any crisis, the burden shall be shared as far as possible by the community as a whole," said the Minister of Marketing and Agriculture (Mr. Barclay), when opening the annual conference of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation today. The Minister said that the present times were abnormal, and because of the war the fruit industry had seen revolutionary changes during the last two or three years, mainly because of the difficulty of exporting the surplus^ apples and pears. Drastic steps had to be taken when that happened. "The war rolls on," continued Mr. Barclay, "and all that we can do is to make plans from time to time. I find that no matter how we lay our plans ahead, whether it is in the meat, wool, dairy, or fruit industry, we have no control over the continually changing scene; It is necessary, therefore, to keep on changing our plans, but- at the same time we must plan ahead as much as possible. It is much better to go ahead with some sort of plan than without any plan at all. You want to have something to aim at." IDEAL OF CO-OPERATION. Mr. Barclay said he was gratified to see how far the ideal of co-operation had been put into operation by the fruit growers. The Internal. Marketing Department wanted to co-operate with the fruit industry. So far it had had that co-operation from the federation's executive, even if they had not always been able to see eye to eye. But any criticism that had been levelled at the Marketing Department, he had found, had been constructive. The Government had to deal with the present situation from the wide point of view, and while the Government was anxious to see the fruit industry's point of view,, he would like the industry to try to see the Government's point of view. The Government had taken on a tremendous responsibility when it came to the rescue of the fruit growers. "We are trying to make the marketing scheme a success," added the Minister, "because we do not know how long the present procedure might have to continue." He did not know how much it was going to cost the Government this year, but he expected that the loss would be about 2s a case. This was the loss on local consumption last year, but because of the profit on the export of 1940 they practically came out level. The president (Mr. T. C. Brash) said that fruit growers in the main had had a good season, and in spite of some dissatisfaction there had been a real feeling of relief and genuine gratitude that the Government had stood by the industry. "Other primary industries are now facing severe difficulties, and the economic and financial position of the country is threatened, but we have the assurance of the Minister of Marketing that his Government will not allow any industry to languish through war or any other cause," said Mr. Brash. ' , ACTION APPRECIATED. In the annual report of the directors, reference was made to the problems facing the industry because of the war.; ■ "The whole basis of production of apples and pears within the Dominion was vitally disturbed when export was curtailed, and, finally, entirely cut off," state the directors. "Under these.circumstances the action of the Government in undertaking the marketing of this fruit and giving to the industry a guaranteed price has been deeply appreciated. Had this not been done the industry would have been in a parlous position. Many orchards would have been abandoned. The question of how those who had been thus employed could have been absorbed in other industries would have presented a real problem. - Many orchard owners have reached advanced years, and after a long service of toil faced a really tragic position. Wisely, we think, the Government decided that from every point of view, financially and otherwise, the industry should be maintained, and accordingly purchased the entire crop. The Minister of Marketing, has made it clear that the maintenance of all essential industries is Government policy and the fruit industry definitely comes under that/category."