OFFER TO GIVE PRODUCE

Southland Times, Issue 24138, 29 May 1940, Page 6

OFFER TO GIVE PRODUCE

VEGETABLES GROWN ON RESERVES COUNCIL’S NEGOTIATIONS WITH GOVERNMENT Potatoes in store and cabbages now being grown on Turnbull Thomson Park by the Invercargill City Council are to be offered as a gift to the Internal Marketing Department while other produce will be sold by the council which will retain the proceeds. This decision was reached by the council at its meeting last night. The estimated value of the produce, reported the Parks and Reserves Committee, was £2450. The town clerk (Mr W. F. Sturman) had communicated with the Internal Marketing Department advising that the council had produce to dispose of. The difficulty to be overcome in growing produce next year was that labour under Scheme 13 had not been guaranteed and that the superintendent of reserves (Mr B. P. Mansfield), had enlisted and could be called up for active service at any time. A suggestion had been made to the Internal Marketing Department that it send down an official to arrange for the department to take the balance of the produce and to make its attitude clear about the council’s effort next year. AGREEMENT MADE The Reserves Committee reported that it had held a meeting with an officer of the Marketing Department who had intimated that he would recommend to his department that the , council be asked to make a gift, on rail Invercargill, of the potatoes in store and the cabbages now growing; the council to sell to the best advantage the hay and swedes, and to retain the proceeds. The department to guarantee to the council to make good any deficiency based on the £lOOO required by the council and being its cost on the whole scheme, on the - understanding that Scheme 13 labour is available, as required, for harvesting purposes. The committee recommended that this arrangement be agreed to, should it be the desire of the Government. The committee reported that it had explained to the officer that in future policy the council’s difficulty was that it had no guarantee that an adequate number of Scheme 13 men would be made available for the purpose and, further, that the superintendent of reserves, whose services were considered to be essential to the success of the undertaking, had enlisted and might be called to camp at any time. If his department was anxious that the scheme be continued, it might arrange with the Defence Department for Mr Mansfield’s services to be made available for the purpose and with the Labour Department for Scheme 13 men. The council’s plant and equipment would be available at a reasonable charge to cover depreciation. The departmental officer said he would submit the matter to his head office for consideration. Cr A. W. Jones said that he thought it was a fine gesture on the part of the council to give the potatoes in store and cabbages now growing to the Gov- ' ernment. It needed food for soldiers and the produce grown on the city reserves would be a welcome addition to the stocks of vegetables held by the Government. THANKS FOR GIFT OF POTATOES APPRECIATION BY CAMP COMMANDANT A letter of thanks for the council’s gift of nearly 30 tons of potatoes for the ‘ Burnham military camp was received by the Invercargill City Council last night from Lieutenant-Colonel S. D. Mason. The letter stated: “The potatoes opened up in excellent condition and my supply officer informs me that they are of as good a quality as any potatoes received in to this camp. I understand that the Mayor of your city, who is now Lance-Corporal J. R. Hanan, and who is shortly proceeding to Trentham on selection as a candidate for a commission, was present when the consignment was taken over in this camp. When empty, the sacks in which the potatoes were packed will be returned to you by my supply officer. Your gift is very much appreciated and I am sure that the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) will now be very pleased at the foresight that your mayor and corporation showed ,in planting these vegetables against the very full use they shall now be put to.”