GROWERS AGREE TO CONFER WITH RETAILERS

Grey River Argus, 19 February 1949, Page 5

GROWERS AGREE TO CONFER WITH RETAILERS

But Prefer Tribunal to Settle Container issue

WELLINGTON, February 18.

The Dominion Executive of the Commercial Growers decided to-day, to agree to an offer by the Minister of industries anti commerce. Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer, who suggested that there be a meeting between the growers and the retailers. The executive, in a resolution to this affect, commuted that it would, however, prefer c. tribunal.

The gowers, in their plan to extend their sales to Wellington suburban areas, have received support from women’s organisations there. The President of the Commercial Growers. Mr B. V. Cooksley, said this to-day. Produce was sold by the Government with ease in the city to-day. Growers were cleared of their street stocks by the later afternoon, as also were most of the mart floors which are stili taking supplies. The retailers too, sold most of their remaining stocks of fresh vegetables over the counter. If all adhere to the ban, there should be no fresh vegetables in the shops on Monday. The following statement was issued to-night by the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer): “The Government has in the last day or so received many telegrams urging it to take action to cope with the hold-up in the distribution of fruit and vegetables caused by the boycotting of produce markets by retailers.

“It should be understood that since the lines of produce affected, by the boycott are, with few' exceptions, not subject to price control, the subject of' the dispute is properly a matter for settlement by the parties concerned. Nevertheless, the Government could not be indifferent to a situation which deprived the public of adequate supplies of essential foodstuffs. “The Government hopes that the parties to the dispute will come together in an attempt to negotiate a settlement, or alternatively, with a view to submitting the dispute to arbitration. “In a desire to promote a settlement, the Government is inviting the New Zealand Federation of Retail Fruiterers and Greengrocers, the NewZealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation, the New Zealand Fruit and Produce Merchants’ and Auctioneers’ Federation, and the Commercial Gardeners’ Federation to send representatives to a meeting to be held under a chairman appointed by the Government”. Vegetables Sold from Lorries WELLINGTON, February 18. The “war” over container charges continues unchanged, and both growers and retailers continue to boycott each other. The growers refuse to concede 6d on their containers, and the retailers are equally adamant in thejr refusal to pay the extra cost. Housewives to-day purchased vegetables and fruit from growers’ lorries on approved city streets. The opinion that growers’ cooperative markets, selling direct to the public, would be the only real solution to the problem, was expressed to-day by the'general secretary of Federated Farmers, Mr A. P. O’Shea. He added that it would be a simple matter to inaugurate such markets in New Zealand, and he was quite sure Federated Farmers would support such a move, which, he said, would have the effect of reducing prices considerably. Growers were at present discussing future action and policy with branches of the Federated Farmers adjacent to Wellington, he said, and there was no question that assistance to the growers would be forthcoming. Retailers Confer by ’Phone PA WELLINGTON, Feb. 18 Officials of the N.Z. Fruiterers’ and Greengrocers’ Federation held a telephone conference to-day among representatives in the four main centres. The secretary of the Wellington Association, Mr S. Chesney, said to-night that he had received no advice from his national headquarters about the proposed meeting. He added that the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, to-day made a request to see him (Mr Chesney) while attending a Labour Party anniversary function at Petone. where Mr Chesney lives.

BROOKERS KEEPING OUT This dispute is entirely a matter between the growers and the retailers; in fact, the growers, when acquainting the fruit brokers with the position, were emphatic that they desired the brokers to be strictly neutral and to keep out of the dispute, which they claimed was entirely a matter of grower v. retailer, says a statement supplied by the secretary of the Wellington Brokers’ Organisation, Mr M. Robb. The statement added that m view of the wide publicity given the container dispute, the Wellington brokers felt their position should be made clear. “The Wellington fruit and produce brokers and auctioneers consider it most regrettable that the present situation has arisen, and sincerely hope an early settlement will be effected. They would be happy to take any step which would bring the two parties together, and have, in fact, offered to move in this direction. “Unfortunately, this offer is apparently not acceptable at the moment”, said the statement. In an effort to settle the dispute over the container charges for produce, the Government decided to invite representatives of the retail fruiterers, the Fruitgrowers Federation, fruit and produce merchants, auctioneers, and the Commercial Gaj denars’ Federation, to a meeting to be held under a chairman appointed by the Government. • , If a settlement cannot be reached by negotiation, the Government has suggested that the dispute be submitted to arbitration. „