I.M.D. COST ATTACKED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22316, 29 April 1947, Page 2

I.M.D. COST ATTACKED

STATEMENT BY MERCHANTS (P.AJ WELLINGTON, April 29. Criticism of the size of the Internal Marketing Division stafT, the cost of running it, the late stage at which its annual report is presented to Parliament. the selection of an unsuitable Steamer recently to bring bananas from Fiji to New Zealand and of other matters is expressed in a statement from the New Zealand Fruit and Produce Merchants and Auctioneers’ Federation.' The statement said another year’s operations was completed by the division on March 31, ar.d Parliament, late in the coming session, would get a report the information of which would be so out of date that critical points of last year’s operations were not likely to be mentioned. The division’s annual report, which belatedly appeared last session, contained a statement of accounts only up till September 30, 1945, the statement added. The public 'knew that there must have been losses in some ■Erections last year, but the story was not likely to be officially revealed for at least 15 months after the end of the financial year. During the war. when so much had to be produced to feed fighting men. particularly in the Pacific, the division served a useful purpose in conserving some proportion of fruit and vegetables for the New Zealand market, it was stated. Tills involved the employment of a fairly large staff, but there was no real curtailment of the division now the war was over. Its estimates of expenditure for last year made a total of £77,960 for staff alone. There were other items such as overtime and meal allowances, £2OOO, and travelling allowances and expenses, £7500. the gross estimated cost of the division being set down at £140.025, a figure higher by nearly £14,000 compared with actual expenditure in 1945-46, though the staff was to be reduced by seven to 233.