POTATOES FROM CITY RESERVES

Southland Times, Issue 24160, 24 June 1940, Page 3

POTATOES FROM CITY RESERVES

To The Editor

Sir, —As the cost of growing potatoes is a subject of controversy at the present time, will you kindly publish in your paper the over-all cost a ton of those grown on the city reserves during the past season. You have in your columns already stated the cost of materials used in the production of commodities on the reserves, but now that the potatoes have been bagged, many of the producing public would like to see a simple balance-sheet showing all expenditure in connection with the enterprise. There is an old saying, “Never look a gift horse in the mouth,” but I think the Defence Department might well have examined more fully the gift of potatoes from the city reserves. According to the Canterbury market report published last week, potatoes were there quoted at £2/10/- to £2/15/- a ton, and I doubt if these gift potatoes could be landed at Burnham for much less than it would cost to buy others in that district. —Yours, etc., J.M. June 20, 1940. [This letter was referred to the Superintendent of Reserves (Mr B. P. Mansfield) who said he had no comment to make. He would not reply to anonymous correspondents.]