NEW ZEALAND’S HOP INDUSTRY

Hokitika Guardian, 27 October 1928, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND’S HOP INDUSTRY

PROHIBITION WOULD CRIPPLE „ HUNDREDS. OF FARMS.

The severe hardship that would be caused among those engaged in the hop-growing industry in the event of prohibition being 1 carried, was pointed out by the Chairman of the Nelson Hop Growers’ Co-operative lf Association at their recent annual meeting:—

“There are over 200 hop-growers in the district,” he said, “and if this industry was lost through prohibition being enforced, we do not know what we could produce on our farms to give the same return and income. “To further emphasise the importance of the hop-growing industry to the Nelson district, I have taken out fibres to show what has Ibeen paid to pick the hop-crop. You will be ; : amazed to learn, gentlemen, that we liop-growers during a period of five - to six weeks have paid annually durmg the past six years over £14,500, and most of this money has been diistqi.bivted amongst women and girls. This one item alone would be a serious loss in our particular district, and lam sure would be felt by not only the pickers but by e\ ery store-keeper. “You are all well aware picking is not the only item of expense in raising the hop crop. Labour has to be found for numbers to attend to the drying, baling, tilling the ground, cutting and stringing tlie vine, etc., and I do not hesitate in stating that the cost of this', added to the cost of picking, would totaT in round figures to anything from £35,000 to £40,000 per annum.” i ■ No less than £25,000 is paid annually to barley and hop-growers in New Zealand, affording a living to hundreds of families. Prohibition as it would be enacted permits of no compensation whatever to anyone deprived of a living.

That is one of the many reasons why a big Continuance majority rs anticipated. 2