"BORDERING ON SABOTAGE”

Evening Star, Issue 23816, 21 February 1941, Page 6

"BORDERING ON SABOTAGE”

FRUITGROWERS’ ILLICIT TRADE CONDEMNED BY MINISTER [Pea United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, February 21. In a Press statement issued to-day the Minister of Marketing (the Hon. J. G. Barclay) said he regretted to have to draw public attention to the short sighted attitude of certain fruitgrowers who intentionally or unintentionally were undermining the Government's effort to assist the fruit industry through its present crisis. _ These growers were engaged in illicit trade with retailers on a basis calculated to harm the interests of their follow-orchardists and to damage the Dominion's war effort. The Minister briefly outlined the provisions of the apple and pear marketing regulations and New Zealand-grown fruit regulations, and said the Government, in undertaking the disposal of the whole crop, was incurring considerable risk for the purpose of saving the industry from its war-time difficulties. Despite tlic.se facts, certain individual growers were contravening the regu 1 - tions by selling under-grade fruit to the public," effecting unauthorised sales to retailers, and in other ways interfering with the successful marketing of the main crop. In consequence, it would bo necessary for the Government‘to insist on a strict adherence to the regulations, both by growers and retailers, and there would bo no hesitation in authorising the prosecution of offenders. This step was not being taken with the idea of maintaining prices, said the Minister, as the Government intended to make the fruit available to the consumer at the lowest possible cost, but in fairness to the majority of orchardists who wore faithfully complying with the regulations the Government must see that practices bordering on sabotage should be suitably penalised. Although at present, lie said, the growers wore encouraged to sell direct to bona fide consumers, they were prohibited from selling to retailers or anyone pise for tlie purpose, of ro-sale. except through the authorised channels.