POLICY ASSAILED FRUIT MARKETING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22406, 13 August 1947, Page 6

POLICY ASSAILED

FRUIT MARKETING

TIRED OF PROMISES DELEGATE HITS OUT <p.AA WELLINGTON. Aug. 12. interrupted twice while trying to read a. resolution he had prepared following an address by the Minister, of Marketing. Mr. E. L- Cullen, to the , New Zealand fruitgrowers’ conference | todav a delegate had to amend what . was termed “the ridiculous phraseology” before the president would accept the motion. The motion, as Mr. L. B. Robinson. Nelson, commenced to read it, began: "That we thank the Minister of Marketing for his presence here today and we congratulate him on h:s excellent and apparently sincere delivery.” Mr R Evans, another Nelson dele-' gate, objected to the “ridiculous phraseology” of the motion. Should Be Withdrawn “We know Mr. Cullen is sincere and I think it should be withdrawn.” He said Mr. Robinson asked to be allowed to read his motion right through. He reached the words “apparently sincere” when he was interrupted by the president. Mr. A. 3. Con.gdon, who said he could not accept the word “apparently.” Mr Robinson then moved congratulating Mr. Cullen on “his sincere dei livery of the address prepared, an i address absolutely typical of numerous ! Ministerial addresses to farmers j organisations.” | He said there was nothing personal i in his motion, which was addressed by j a fruitgrower to the Minister of Mar- | keting. “But various Ministers of ! Marketing have come along with smoo-h talk, semi-definite promises and soothin" talk about co-operation. Where is it getting us?” asked Mr. Robinson. “Nash assured us more than once that ihe was not taking over the industry on a guaranteed price basis, but that it was only an emergency and at the close of the war wo would be able to go j back to the previous system of marketj ing. or some form of co-operative i marketing. i “He was followed by Barclay—not many will remember him—he got another pob. J “Arc Wc Getting Anywhere?” ! “Roberts promised co-operation, and ! now Mr. Cullen has come along with cam a nrntnisPs. Is it. Point? to CGt

“Roberts promised co-operation, and now Mr. Cullen has come along with the same promises. Is it going to get us anywhere?”

Since March a joint committee set up between the Government and the industry had sat for a total of five hours, and all it had done was to set up a costs survey committee. Admittedly, this was a valuable step, but in two years practically no progress had been made.

After the motion had been seconded Mr. Evans said Mr. Robinson was speaking for himself. The matter had not been discussed with other Nelson delegates. Mr. Cullen said Mr. Robinson had referred to previous Ministers who had all held responsible positions. “They deserve a handle to their names,” he said.

The joint committee had done a great deal, and if it had been done in five hours, as Mr. Robinson stated, then he hoped another five hours would complete their work. The motion was not put to the meeting.