OTAHUHU SCHEME

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24956, 27 July 1944, Page 6

OTAHUHU SCHEME

PLANS FOR CIVIC CENTRE COUNCIL BUILDINGS SOLD Further steps have been made by the Otahuhu Borough Council toward the completion of a rebuilding scheme which will provide a civic centre for the borough. Tho council has accepted an offer of £BSOO for the present council chambers and site, together with the adjoining property known as Glasgow House, and is acquiring a site which Las a frontage of 210 ft to the Great South Road, and is bounded by Princes Street and Gordon Road. In addition to new council chambers, it is proposed to use the new site for a memorial hall, administrative quarters for the Otahuhu branch of the Returned Services Association, accommodation for the local branch of the Plunket Society, a library, and provision for the "Otahuhu division of tho St. John Ambulance Brigade. The present council buildings and the adjoining property have been purchased by the Passenger Transport Company. The site is to bo used for a modern bus station. VEGETABLE GROWING OUTLOOK FOR FUTURE

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday The Government would like to see the whole of the vegetable growing done by private gardeners, said the Minister of Rehabilitation, the Hon: C. F. Skinner, addressing the annual conference of Dominion commercial growers, but had begun State growing m order to ensure that adequate supplies would be available to meet the special and essential requirements of the forces, preference being given to those vege-

tables suitable for dehydration. Mr. Skinner said there were 2407 commercial gardeners registered under the Act producing from J7,016 acres. Commercial growers had a very definite place in post-war reconstruction and re-

habilitation and offered considerable scope for employment to returning men. Mr B. V. Cooksley, president of the conference, said the unusual demand for vegetables undoubtedly would continue after the collapse of Germany, as Europe would want dehydrated food. The future of the industry in New Zea-

land lay, therefore, in canning and processing vegetables and tho supply of the New Zealand market to avoid a great importation of processed vegetable

.Mr Cooksley criticised tho ap-

pointment of a Vegetable Council containing no growers' representatives. Ho said that State production of vegetables had been an expensive failure, as if the growers had been given the labour which the State took for its scheme they could have done tho job at less cost to the taxpayers. AUCKLAND AREA PRODUCTION 13,700 TONS STNCE NOVEMBER Since November 1 of last year tho total production from tho State vegetable farms in tho Auckland area has been 13,700 tons. This was taken off 2100 acres. The superintendent of tho services vegetable production scheme, Mr J. M! Smith, of Wellington, said the average production for the season was estimated at eight tons an acre, and tho return included 22 different varieties of vegetables. HOME AND SCHOOL (O.O.) ROTORUA, Wednesday Tho annual meeting of tho Rotorua Home and School Association, held this evening at the Rotorua primary school, was largely attended. An address on "Children and the Future" was given by Mr F. M. B. Fisher. The following officers were elected:—President. Mr K. At. Welch; vice-president, Messrs H. H. Goodman' nnd C. J. Casey: secretary and treasurer, Mr 0. H. LudgHlo: committee, Mrs Atkinson, Mrs Cater. Mr* Corlielt. Mrs England and Mrs Hyde, Messrs A. Cater. A, N. Corbett, I). G. Stockwcll, L. Wool!,'iins and R. Winiata.