THE H.B. TRIBUNE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1933 “UNITED WE STAND.”

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 10, 22 December 1933, Page 6

THE H.B. TRIBUNE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1933 “UNITED WE STAND.”

It is all to the good that the export producers of tiie country should take some active interest in the commercial side of their undertakings, and a little agitation now and again serves well to prevent stagnation. There can therefore be no serious objection oltered to the local controversy that has been raised with respect to the marketing abroad of Hawke’s Bay fruit. This industry is of continually increasing importance to the district, so that the efficient conduct of the marketing factor in it is one of very considerable public interest. At the outset it may be said that, in a general way, our own feeling is all on the side of individual freedom of action and contract. These are, however, quite exceptional times when all trading is being carried out under abnormal world conditions that have compelled surrender, for the time being, of many long cherished ideas. Throughout a world of the keenest competition it has come to be recognised that only by thorough organisation of its marketing methods can a national industry hope to survive, especially one dealing with perishable commodities.

It is under the urgent pressure of these conditions that producers have realised the absolute necessity for combination in order to meet them. There can scarcely be ■ any doubt in the public mind that had not some kind of centralised means of regulation and direction been adopted the plight of our exporting industries would have been very much worse than it is. This, we fancy, will be admitted as much with regard to our fruit as to our meat, our butter and our cheese. In this connection, too, it has to be borne in mind that, on the other side, there is not always as free competition among buying agencies as may appear on the surface. In fact, on that side, there is just as great a tendency to the formation of “rings,” “trusts,” “combines,” and the. like that, in the absence of organisation among the producers, can manoeuvre market prices very much to their own advantage and to the detriment of the producers. Thus it may be said with all confidence that under existing world conditions it is absolutely essential that export producers should stand solidly together 10 meet the exigencies of the day. At the same time, of course, it is equally essential that those placed in control should be not only reliable but capable. In this respect it is quite hopeless to expect that everybody should be satisfied, nor is there any reason why intelligent criticism should not be directed upon their doings. This criticism, however, is very often

based upon a quite insufficient appreciation of all the difficulties that have to be overcome, difficulties which only those who come into direct t**it*ct with them, can

fully understand. It is therefore entirely necessary that all discussions should be approached in friendly spirit and with a sole desire to see that the best is done for all concerned. Given this in, there can, as vze have said, be no question as to the general good to be gained by occasional restrained and reasoned controversy. So far as concerns the Fruit Control Board ,there can be no doubt in anyone’s mind that some national organisation of the kind is absolutely essential to the welfare of the industry. It is easy to guess what may happen should the combination thus represented 'be broken up and the industry be left to the mercy of speculative buyers whose interests obviously lie in anything but steady markets. It has also -to be borne in mind chat the quota principle has taken quite firm hold in our fruitgrowers’ principal market, and there is no reason for thinking that it may no.t be applied to their output as well as to others. In such ease they must necessarily be altogether at sea without some responsible organisation to represent them. Thus we are very strongly impressed that our Hawke’s Bay fruitgrowers should exercise all possible deliberation and caution before proceeding with a movement that manifestly threatens the existence of the Board. The organisation has been built up with great trouble and it cannot be denied that in very many respects it has rendered good service, nor can it be reasonably hoped that any system of local groupings will provide an effective substitute for it.