TOMATO GROWERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21296, 24 September 1932, Page 13

TOMATO GROWERS

REGISTRATION SCHEME SUPPORT FOR BILL SOUGHT CHECK ON IMPORTS DESIRED [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Friday Sympathetic consideration to a request that a bill bo introduced to provide for the compulsory registration of tomato growers was given to a deputation of tomato and stone-fruit growers, who waited successively on the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, and the Minister of Agriculture, tho Hon. C. E. Macmillan, to-day. Investigation was also promised to the request that the importation of tomatoes from Rarotonga should be regulated and that similar action should bo taken in regard to Australian cucumbers and marrows.

The deputation was representative of Auckland, Canterbury, Hutt and Nelson growers. Representative speakers stated that the bill desired would enable growers to organise to fight diseases, to improve the quality of their product, to launch a national advertising campaign, to subsidise research work and to prevent wasteful competition. They gave an assurance that only commercial growers would be affected. Mr. G. A. Green drew the attention of the Prime Minister to the injury done to the growers of cucumbers and marrows, especially in Auckland, by the importation of these vegetables from Australia. He also referred to the danger of disease being introduced by the continued importation of Rarotongan tomatoes. Messrs. S. W. House and E. Turner, on behalf of the Auckland growers, asked that steps be taken to regulate the importation of tomatoes and vegetables. After promising to look into the matter of a registration bill, the Prime Minister said that Rarotonga was part of New Zealand and its relationship with the main part of the Dominion was similar to that of Stewart Island. It was very difficult to impose an embargo on produce from one paiit of the Dominion, but he would investigate the question, as much capital was invested in the industry in New Zealand. The deputation later waited on Mr. Macmillan, who promised to give his assistance to a bill for the registration of growers.

REPORT ON OTTAWA > TIME OF PRESENTATION POSSIBLY NEXT WEEK i [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Friday No date can yet be fixed for the presentation to Parliament of the official report on the Ottawa Conference. The tabling of the report is being keenly awaited, as it is expected that Parliament will be asked at the same sitting to pass resolutions embodying the tariff concessions to be granted to Britain in return for preference granted to New Zealand products entering Britain. "It is possible that the report will be tabled next week," said Mr. Coates, leader of the New Zealand delegation at Ottawa, in response,to an inquiry this evening. "However, the date is entirely governed by an exchange of cablegrams now taking place between us and the British Government. 1 ' HIGHER PENSIONS BILL CIVIL AND WAR PAYMENTS LARGE INCREASE IN NUMBERS [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Friday A large increase in the number of civil pensions, on account of the financial and industrial depression, is revealed in the annual report of the Pensions Department for the year ended March 31, 1932. The report states that economic necessity has undoubtedly brought forward many applicants who in normal times would not have presented claims. The total payments for all pensions for 1931-32 amounted to £3,088,536, compared with £2,906.049 in 1930-31. The numbers increased from 60,917 to 67,198, including increases of 3322 in old-age pensions and 2715 in family allowances. The cost of pensions per head of European population was £2 2s sd, compared with £2 0s 3d, while the percentage cost of administration to total payments was 1.89. War pension payments totalled £1,261,778, an increase of £16,279 over the preceding year. "As it is trusted that the corner of the economic depression has been turned," concludes the report, "it is hoped that the efforts of the Soldiers' Civil Re-estab-lishment Committees and employment officers will meet with better success, particularly if it is possible at an early date to place some funds at their disposal to assist their work."