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1947 NEW ZEALAND

INTERNAL MARKETING DIVISION REPORT FOR SIX MONTHS ENDED 30th SEPTEMBER, 1946, AND STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30th SEPTEMBER, 1946

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly pursuant to the Provisions of the Marketing Act, 1936

Internal Marketing Division. Sir, — I have the honour to present herewith, pursuant to the provisions of the Marketing Act, 1936, the annual report of the operations of the Internal Marketing Division for the six months ended 30th September, 1946, and statement of accounts for the year ended 30th September, 1946. I have, &c., R. P. Fraser, Director, Internal Marketing Division. The Hon. the Minister of Marketing. INTRODUCTORY This report is based on the period Ist April, 1946, to 30th September, 1946, and therefore covers part of the first post-war year since the cessation of hostilities in August, 1945. From the Division's commencement in 1937 up to September, 1939, it has been pursuing a gradually expanding policy of organization and distribution of products the marketing of which was either haphazard of had left them in a state of chaos. The outbreak of war on the 3rd September, 1939, sent the Division off at a tangent, and it had to become Food Controller for the Dominion, provider of dairy products, fruit, and vegetables for Armed Forces, operator of military canteens, and many other important emergency measures designed not as a permanent policy, but of immediate need. The end of the war found the Division with food-processing factories, cool stores, fruit-assembly depots, dry-fatting plants, the future of which is even yet unknown. One thing, however, is clear ; that many improvements in distribution which seemed desirable in peacetime became essential in war, and producers generally have recognized the value of orderly distribution of their products. It has been the policy of the Government to utilize for the common good all possible war equipment, and therefore the processing plants erected for the Division to meet war demands must find their place in peacetime plans if this policy is to be carried out. To this end, at Pukekohe, Motueka, and Riccarton, production for both local and overseas markets has been carried out with much success. New methods of food-preservation such as " quick freeze " and dehydration are finding a small but definite demand in the local market. How they will fit into the Division's future policy is not clear, except that they must be utilized for good. An outstanding feature of recent years has been the growth of the consumer co-operative movement, which should prove to be a very useful adjunct to the wellestablished and efficiently run producer co-operative movements in this country. The function of the Division will be to assist and encourage both these activities for the benefit of the greatest number of people.