POTATO IMPORTS

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20892, 25 August 1939, Page 12

POTATO IMPORTS

AUGMENTING SUPPLY STATE CONTROL INSTITUTED FIRST ARRIVALS NEXT WEEK (By Telegraph.—Special to Times) \YELLINGTON. Thursday The Minister ol' Agriculture, the Hon. \Y. Lee Martin, umiuunced today that in future potatoes will come within tiie provisions of the Primary Products Marketing Amendment Act, I ana that the Government lias agreed i to importations to augment the supply | between the end of the old season and | tlie harvesting of the new crop. The Minister stated that under the Act the | Internal Marketing Division was emI powered to keep a very close check on market prices and also, where ! necessary, to fix maximum and/or minimum prices, which could be varied in different parts of New Zealand as occasion warranted, j “The procedure under the Act is | simple,” the Minister said, "and the ! Director of Internal Marketing is emI powered to carry out the function where it is considered necessary, it is expected that potatoes have nowpassed their peak in price and retail values should gradually start to fall. Arrivals Next Week “A complete survey of the New Zealand stocks has been made and the Government lias agreed to the importatiun of the necessary quantities to augment the supply between the seasons. The first overseas supply will arrive in New Zealand on September 1 and shipments will be arriving periodically from then on to ease the position. The Internal Marketing Division will be communicating' with interested units of the trade immediately.” FIXING RETAIL PRICE QUESTION ASKED IN HOUSE (By Telegraph.—Special to Times) WELLINGTON, Thursday In the House of Representatives today Mr W. J. Poison (Opposition— Stratford, gave notice to ask the Minister uf Industries and Commerce, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, whether it was true that the price tribunal was about to lix the retail price of potatoes at 3d per lb., and whether this was not totally at variance with the poliev of the Government, as stated by the Prime Minister, the lit. Hon. ! M. J. Savage, that if the Government i allowed prices to rise with the increase , in wages it would not have achieved anything.