KENTISH HOP INDUSTRY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14212, 13 May 1908, Page 5

KENTISH HOP INDUSTRY

DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT. GOVERNMENT ACTION ADVOCATED. Press Association.—By Telegraph.—Copyright. LONDON, May 12. (Received May 12, at 9.55 p.m.) The House of Lords adopted Lord Addiiigton's motion that the critical condition of tbo Kentieli hop industry deserved the Government's imm«liatc attention. The Archbishop of Canterbury raid he stood aghairt at the conditions prevailing in the villages. Lord Carrington admitted that the situation was very serious. Ho said the Government deeply sympathised with tho growers, but was unable to entertain tho question of imposing a duty on foreign hops. Lord HaTris insisted that the hop industry must be rained unless the Government intervened. Lord kuiKlcwiw agreed that it was desirable to await- the report of the Hop Committee, but he insisted that foreign competition ivas the main cause of the trouble. Tho tariff reformers have decried tho Select Committee on tho ground that it is " packed " with' Freetraders, and some of the Kentish hop-growers have refused to give evidence beforo it. Tho Liberal Ministers aro very much at grip? with tho tariflites over hops, and with tho brewers over beer, and the whole industry most bo somewhat of a nightmare to them. For tho following statistics the Daily Express (which is a tariff reform, anti-Givernment paper) is responsible: — In the lust ,27 years tho acreage under hops in. the United Kingdom has declined over 30 per rent. Tho startling nature of the decrease will be seen from the following figures: — , Acres.' 1881-5 68,000 1891-5 58 000 1901-5 49,000 1906 46,700 ISO 7 44,800 Decrease since 1881, 23,100 acres. Every aore under hops rcpresonts an avcraverage of £25 spent in labour, so that tho grubbing of those 23,100 acres means a probable loss of £577,000 to British working men and agriculturists. IE this' acreago could be placed under cultivation for hops again it is estimated that the following benefit's would onsue:— 1. Nearly 6000 more agricultural labourers, with their wives and families, would find permanent employment. 2. Some 138,000 more men, women, and children would find employment at picking time. 3. There would 'be greatly increased prosperity in all tho trades dependent or partly dependent on tho hop industry. In 50 selected parishes there were 8834 acres of hops in September last. Sines then 1495 of these acres have been grubbed representing a 'eoreaee of 16£ per cent, ' This means that 270 labouring men and women who have been employed in the ciiltivation of these hop la-nds are thrown out of employment, in addition to 4500 " home" pickers and 7500 "immigrant" pickers.