FRUIT INDUSTRY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22469, 13 July 1936, Page 11

FRUIT INDUSTRY

GROWERS' PROBLEMS LABOUR AND MARKETING SCOPE OF INQUIRY ASSURANCE BY MINISTER An assurance that endeavours were being made to solve the problems connected with the fruit industry was given by the Minister of Justice, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason, in an address to fruit-growers at Oratia on Saturday night. The meeting was well attended by growers in the district, for which Mr. Mason is the member .of Parliament. The Minister said he recognised some of the difficulties under which growers were labouring, and knew that the Minister of Industries and Commerce had decided to institute an inquiry into the marketing of fruit after it left the producer. The inquiry, which would cover the whole field of marketing, was long overdue. The Auckland fruit-growers were requesting the Government to include consideration of the industry from the growers' point of view, Mr. Mason said, particularly with regard to the cost of production, and this he would urge as a necessity. As Minister of Justice he would bp asked to make available a magistrate to be chairman of the commission, and he would do his best to have the appointment made at an early date. Fruit as a Diet Mr. Mason said he was enthusiastic concerning the production of fruit, and held that there was nothing better nationally than the development of the fruit industry, which meant the development of a form of diet of immense value to the community. It was stated at the meeting that the day of the small grower had gone. There was a time when fruit-growing was a family affair, but many of the young people nowadays were not content to live on the farm. Higher wages and the attractions of the city were taking them there. Other labour had to be employed, as it was almost impossible for one person to run an orchard, and with the certain rise in costs, and the possibility of difficulty in finding labour in competition with Public Works jobs and other forms of highly-paid work, the fruit-growers had decided to ask the Government for the introduction of a form of guaranteed price to ensure a reasonable living wage.

Stabilising the Industry The Minister said it was the policy of the Government to see that workers received a reasonable return for their labour. The fruit industry was not in his department and he could not speak with authority as to when it would be stabilised, but he was certain that something would be attempted. If a plan was not formulated in time for next season he would favour some form of special assistance, of a temporary nature, being given for 1937. He would also support the introduction of legislation to enable fruit to he standardised as to quality. As far as the export of fruit was concerned, the Minister said it was for ' the industry to formulate a plan and to submit it to the Government through the Export Board. He assured the meeting that such a plan would receive favourable consideration. What would be done with local marketing, he added, would defend on the findings of the Marketing Commission, and the growers should also submit their evidence to cover this aspect of the industry.