GROWERS’ CONCERN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 6 October 1942, Page 2

GROWERS’ CONCERN

PROSPECTS FOR VEGETABLE SUPPLIES SHORTAGE PROBABLE NEXT WINTER SUGGESTIONS TO GOVERNMENT A survey made by the Commercial Growers’ Association has revealed that New Zealand as a whole will be definitely short of vegetables next winter, said Mr A. E. Brough, of Nelson, acting president of the association, to-day. Mr Brough has returned to Nelson after heading a delegation to the Minister of Agriculture (Mr J. G. Barclay) to point out the position of vegetable production. Nelson was still short in all vegetable and tomato contracts for the factory, but the prospect for civilians was far more favourable than in many districts, said Mr Brough. He saw no reason why, if the labour could be supplied, there should not be an extension of vegetable production in this district and more vegetables shipped to Wellington. The high prices prevailing in the cities now would be far worse next winter, on present prospects. LETTER TO MINISTER The concern of commercial gardeners was expressed in a letter to the Minister, following the interview. It states that evidence has reached the council, through a Dominion survey, that even normal production will not be reached, at a time when the demands of the armed forces call for a much greater output. The letter reads:

Our industry has. since the outbreak of the war. and to an even greater extent within the last few months, recognised its responsibility to assist the Government in the production of vegetables for the Armed Forces, indications of the magnitude of which have reached us from time to time from official sources. As you are well aware, our council, which represents the industry, has reiterated its offers of assistance to you with the hope that some measure of co-operation could be established whereby your task to ensure the necessary output of vegetables for the war production programme could be assured. We appreciate the good work that has been done by Captain Cooksley through the medium of the various District Primary Production Councils in stimulating the enthusiasm of growers, assisting them to secure satisfaction in regard to benzine, and generally making them aware of the magnitude of the task which has been placed on the irhoulders of the producer. THE TIME FACTOR As growers, we have a keen appreciation of the time factor, and in spite of what has been done it cannot be denied that the sands are running out with very little having been done of a practical nature to increase production. On the contrary, evidence has reached us that, as time goes on. growers’ difficulties are increasing, and at this critical time when planting operations should be in full swing, there is definite evidence that even normal production will not be maintained. It was with the view of establishing proof of our premonitions in this respect that a Dominion survey has been made, based on the opinions of responsible growers in all the producing centres of the Dominion, and in the principal districts this opinion is amply confirmed. Typical expressions from districts such as Auckland. Pukekohe. Nelson. Hut'. Valley and Christchurch are set out in an appendix to this letter by way of illustration. We want you to understand that the growers of the Dominion will fee] a personal responsibility if the Government fails through lack of planning to fulfil its contract requirements, and it is this view and not the view of personal profit which actuates them in putting before you the following recommendations which it firmly hopes you will act upon without the least delay. (1) The enactment of the Commercial Gardeners’ Registration Bill, repeatedly urged by growers and recommended by the Price Tribunal, presided over by a judge of the Supreme Court,

which was appointed to investigate vegetable prices last .year.

(2) The immediate classification of commercial gardening as an essential industry.

(3) The creation of a reservoir of full-time competent labour, formed, it is suggested, from Italian prisoners of \vs— as being the most convenient source.

(4) Encouragement to be given to schemes for the utilisation of additional land such as those submitted by members of the Hutt Valley Producers’ Association. If such a scheme could be inaugurated in the Hutt Valley, it may serve as a model for other districts in New Zealand-

(5) The provision of auxiliary labour for harvesting crops and carrying out other peak work, e.g., the services of organised bodies of women, boy scouts, and secondary school pupils. (6) The encouragement of the commercial growers’ efforts in every possible way and the stimulation of their patriotic impulses. (7) An official pronouncement indicating that, after the war, the facilities created for additional production should not be maintained in such a manner as may detrimentally affect commercial growers’ own production. (8) Close co-operation between the Government and this organisation. ESSENTIAL FACILITIES We know from our own personal experience that production will wane unless the facilities which you alone are able to make available are made available. It is felt that by taking the council into your confidence and allowing us to co-operate with you, we shall be given the opportunity to justify the repeated statement that we have made that we can do the job that is required of us, and which we are anxious, in the interests not only of the Dominion’s war effort, but also of the United Nations, to do. We feel that the absence of registration and its immediate consequence the disorganisation of the industry, together with the transfer of too many men into the armed forces, will surely prove paralytic in their effect on production, not through any wish on the part of the producer, but because of the inability to direct his efforts in the best possible way. [The Registration Bill was introduced 11 years ago. It provided for obtaining statistical information by a form of compulsory registration of market gardeners similar to that applied to the fruitgrowers. It was shelved.] In a covering letter to the Minister the council informed him of its intention to issue to the Press the memorandum, wih minor rearrangements, submitted to him. The reason for this action, the letter stated, was the feeling’ of the members that the state of the industry was so unsatisfactory, and their concern about the Minister’s inability to give any concrete assurances in respect of the principal matters requested.