HELP IN PRODUCTION

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 217, 12 August 1940, Page 5

HELP IN PRODUCTION

FRUITGROWERS AND WAR. IMPORTANCE OF INDUSTRY.' Fruit had not been mentioned either by the New Zealand Government or the British Government in the discussions on increased production, said Air T. C. Brash, Dominion president of the Fruitgrowers’ Federation, in an address to the AVellington Provincial Fruitgrowers’ Conference, which was held in Palmerston North to-day. At the same time neither Government would want to see fruitgrowing go into discard. There was an ever-growing recognition of the value of fruit as a food. Growers might have to change their plans, said Mr Brash, but .no doubt the fruit industry would continue to be an essential industry from the point of view of the people. It had been suggested that fruitgrowers should help other industries, and it had even been suggested that they should assist in the production of butterfat. Growers wore definitely being asked to help in pig production. Problems arising from the war were being handled more intelligently to-day than in the last war, added Air Brash, particularly in view of what might happen when the hostilities ended. Ho thought that the requests of the Empire could be met if producers had the will and the spirit to tackle the job. There was no doubt at all that famine would eventually run through the continent of Europe. The British Empire, however, was greatly blessed with food producing areas, and we could surely see that the people of the Homeland got the food they required.

Air J. H. Parker, assistant manager of the federation, explained that not all were in a position to undertake pig production immediately, and the Government has been asked to make funds available. This could not be done through the federation, however, and growers would have to make all their applications for finance direct through the State Advances Corporation.