“APPLE A DAY"

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 17 December 1936, Page 2

“APPLE A DAY"

ONE FOR EVERY CHILD MR NASH’S SUGGESTION LONDON, 21st December. The New Zealand Minister of Finance, the Hon. W. Nash, and the High Commissioner, Mr W. J. Jordan, were the guests of the British Empire League this week, when Mr H. V. Taylor, of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, read a paper entitled, “England’s requirements in apples, in relation to its population.” Lord Bledisloe presided. Mr Nash was asked by Lord Bledisloe to speak after the paper had been read. Certain observations in Mr Taylor’s paper, said Mr Nash, induced him to say that the New Zealand Government was arranging for every child to have half-a-pint of milk a day, and someone had said: “Why not an apple a day also?” Assessing the population of Britain at 40,000,000 an apple a day for each would mean a consumption of about 10,000,0001 b a day—apart from the requirements for cider making. This was more than two and a-half times the present consumption.

Mr Nash commended the great interest Britain was taking to-day in the subject of nutrition. The foodstuffs were available. New Zealand herself could contribute a great deal more of the produce she at present supplied. The resources were there; and the only problem was to get the food to the people. The problem should not be baulked. The products were there, and should be made available to the masses, so that everyone might have a maximum supply. That, it seemed to him, was the great task before Governments to-day. If New Zealand could help to feed the masses of Britain—and there was no doubt she possessed the resources—he hoped that the British Government would help her to do it. (Applause.) Mr Jordan, who was also asked to speak, said it should be clearly understood that New Zealand did not compete with England in the latter’s apple market, because the seasons were opposite. If English or any northern hemisphere apples competed against those from New Zealand, then they must have been in cold store some time. In New Zealand the Government guaranteed a certain price to applegrowers, so that anyone grasping a New Zealand apple would know there was no loss to the grower.