ILLICIT SALE OF FRUIT

Southland Times, Issue 24367, 22 February 1941, Page 8

ILLICIT SALE OF FRUIT

GROWERS WARNED BY MINISTER (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, February 21. In a Press statement issued today the Minister of Marketing, the Hon. J. G. Barclay, said he regretted to have to draw public attention to the shortsighted attitude of certain fruitgrowers who intentionally, or unintentionally, were undermining the Government’s effort to assist the fruit industry through its present crisis. These growers were engaged in illicit trade with the retailer on a basis calculated to harm the interests of fellow orchardists, and to damage the Dominion’s war effort The Minister briefly outlined the provisions of the Apple and Pear Marketing Regulations and the New Zealand Grown Fruit Regulations, and said the Government, in undertaking the disposal of the whole crop, was incurring considerable risk for the purpose of saving the industry from its war-time difficulties. Despite these facts, certain individual growers were contravening the regulations by selling under-grade fruit to the public, and effecting unauthorized sales to retailers, and in other ways interfering with the successful marketing of the main crop. Consequently it would be necessary for the Government to insist on a strict adherence to the regulations, both by growers and retailers, and there would be no hesitation in authorizing the prosecution of offenders. This step was not being taken with the idea of maintaining prices, said the Minister, as the Government intended to make fruit available to the consumer at the lowest possible cost, but in fairness to the majority of orchardists who were faithfully complying with the regulations, the Government must see that practices bordering on sabotage should be suitably penalized. Although at present, he said, growers were encouraged to sell direct to bona fide consumers, they were prohibited from selling to retailers or anyone else for the purpose of resale, except through the authorized channels.