VEGETABLES AND PRICES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 123, 27 May 1942, Page 6

VEGETABLES AND PRICES

The agitation for cheap vegetables, etc., now fervidly under way, and the usual demand for Government intervention, is more evidence of quite uncalled for dependence upon State aid, when obviously the circumstances called for independent public measures. Unusual inclemency of weather in the spring and subsequent shortage of labour in market gardens due to enrolment in the military were causes of the shortage and consequent high prices, but some alleviation has taken pl3ce. A measure for relief is to hand, if a part of the large number of middleaged and elderly persons, and also adolescents, who now attend afternoon sessions at the cinemas, were to give voluntarily a few hours weekly to market gardeners, the cost of travel to be paid. The labour is mostly light and pleasant, and could be suitably apportioned. The muni cipality could" also or<:ani=e. under skilled supervision, additional grow ing on unoccupied city areas. Enthu siasts of bowling, golf and othei clubs could also spa'-e some time foi this necessary work. A desirable morale would then be encouraged more dependence and interest or group self-help and co-operation and less on State aid, whi-h inevitably tends to bureaucracv. eiurvaiing any stultifying. „ X/G TKAVERS.