FUTURE OF FRUIT

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 51, Issue 3139, 6 July 1942, Page 4

FUTURE OF FRUIT

HAURAKI M P. CONCERNED

QUESTIONS IN THE HOUSE MARKETING DEPT., CRITICISED When speaking in the House of Representatives during the debate on the estimates for the Internal .Marketing Department, Mr A. S. Sutherland, M.P, for Hauraki, said that there were some orchards in his electorate and he was somewhat concerned regarding the future of the : fruit industry. Was the Minister taking any steps to rehabilitate that industry ? The Minister had announced that the Government’s scheme was purely a war measure. It should be possible to encourage fruitgrowers to elimin- ‘ ate many of the varieties at least from the fresh fruit market, and thus save case timber and labour. •

. Was the Minister doing anything to encourage the production of by-pro-

ducts of fruit? Canada, Australia' nd Britain were paying subsidies on by-products of fruit and he -understood that machinery was available from Australia for the coring and,, peeling of apples for the marketing of dried apples. There was a good-’ market available for fMt class of fruit. ■ - . There was also a potential market in New Zealand for thousands of gallons of fruit juice- as a health drink, not as a beverage.. Apples couldjbegulped l to form a base for jams. The- residue mixed with bran made an excellent pig food. "Much had been said about the Internal Marketing Division. It appeared that as soon as that division handled a commodity a scarcity arose. There was a shortage of bananas, lemons, eggs, honey, potatoes and vegetables. . . • The Hon. Mr. Barclay: What about maize? Mr 'Sutherland said that there was no shortage of maize but that if more maize had been given to hens the egg shortage would not have been so acute. TJie poultry industry was not paying.