FRUIT CONTROL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22711, 25 October 1935, Page 11

FRUIT CONTROL

TO THE EDITOR. She, —Again that hardy plant, Otago and Fruit Control, lias sprung into life. Like all other sudden movements of Nature, this was foreshadowed by certain events. First, Mr Brash, president of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation, when presiding over the annual meeting of the Otago section of the federation, remarked, when urged to help Otago in one particular way, that Otago had put herself out of court by getting out from control and could not expect any favours in return. This was the whip. Then Mr Jones, president of the agricultural commission, speaking on behalf of the Government at Dunedin to a meeting of apple'reporters about the Government recouping growers for their losses in the 1933 season, remarked that, should Otago come under control, it might receive “ more generous treatment ” from the Government. This was the oats, or perhaps more appVopmtc, the bunch of carrots. If I had the skill I would embody this in a cartoon. In the centre would he an emaciated horse labelled “Otago”; behind him Mr Brash, with his beneficent smile, holding aloft

a whip. In front of the old horse, a stable labelled “Control,” with Mr Jones in the doorway holding out some oats; above it the exclamation, “Whip him behind, and feed him in front, and he will go anywhere.” This, I think, sums up the situation. .Mr Fred Duncan must have many a smile to himself when he thinks how Mr Turner and he 11 years ago circulated a printed circular among growers giving 29 reasons why Otago should not remain under control. There must have been something tremendously powerful in that circular, for it had the peculiar effect ot producing a complete revolution in the opinions of everybody concerned excepting Mr Duncan himself. For the Otago growers did come out from control, reversing their opinion; and Mr Turner and Mr Waigth. of Roxburgh, afterwards reversed theirs, and wanted to come back under control. But, alas, the growers would not come, and still remain out. Hence these tears! I am afraid that I am trying your patience unduly, sir, but I must conclude by asking Otago growers, when requested to sign the new petition, to say to themselves, “ What has Otago to gain by coming under control?” The answer is “Nothing that she has not already got.” What hag she to lose? The answer is “ Everything that she has —the control of her own fruit; her always extending f.o.b. sales; the sale contracts into which she is already in many cases entering.” She can point to the past and say the only time she made a great loss was when in 1933 she temporarily went in with the Control Board in the Godwin scheme. By the by, Mr Jones, at the meeting to which I have referred, threatened the growers that if they did not voluntarily come under control the Government would force them to do so. Now, my opinion here, and that of many others, is that the Government, after the election, will not be in a position to force anything on to anybody.— l am, etc., E. Finder. Roxburgh, October 22.