FRUIT INDUSTRY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23970, 20 November 1939, Page 7

FRUIT INDUSTRY

MARKETING OF CROP CENTRAL OTAGO GROWERS DESIRE FOR EARLY DECISION Willingness to meet the Government in the present period of emergency but a desire that some finality should be reached at the earliest possible moment in regard to the marketing of this season's fruit crop, were expressed in two resolutions carried at a representative meeting of growers of Otago at Roxburgh on Saturday. The discussion at the meeting covered a great deal of previous ground, but the resolutions, which were carried unanimously, fairly represented the views of those present. The price which the grower in Otago is prepared to accent for pip fruit is one which will give him and his family a living at least equal to that of the average orchard worker. Mr F. G. Duncan, representing the Fruit Control Board, occupied the chair, and there was also present Mr R. S. Kinnaird, representing the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation. The resolutions carried were as follows: “ That, in view ox the present emergency, this meeting of Otago pip-fruit growers is prepared to accept any scheme which will assure the grower a standard of living for himself and his family at least equal to that of the average adult orchard worker, and. in particular, we strongly support , the recommendations forwarded to the Minister by the chairman of the conference of the Fruitgrowers’ Federation and the Fruit Control Board under date November 2 last.” “That, in order to obtain quick finality of the present difficult position of pip-fruit growers, this meeting recommends that further negotiations between the Government and the industry be conducted by a small executive committee without further reference to the growers.”