MAIZE!

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 43, 22 April 1942, Page 5

MAIZE!

PRODUCE STILL IX CRIB

GOVERNMENT PROMISES RECALLED

Twenty-one maize growers from the Eastern Bay of Plenty area attended a special meeting •which was held in the CountyCouncil Chambers lasit Saturday for the purpose of discussing the growing seriousness of the position of the wiastage and deterioration of the large amount of produce still held in cribs. Mr W. Sullivan, M»P., was in at- * tendance. Mr W. A. McCracken who was elected to the chair, traced the his'tory of the increased maize appeal -which was instituted by the Government 18 months ago. The farmers had responded magnificently only to be faced with the complete inability to obtain a reasonable market. The result was that there were still many thousands of bags in crib and the new season's crop was almost ready for harvesting.

The secretary, Mr J. R. Murray, read correspondence from Mr R. G. Ffitch of the Internal Marketing Department, which indicated the 1 steps taken to relieve the position and release the cribs.

Speakers declared that the tone of the correspondence was far from convincing and that the Internal Marketing Department was not standing by the promise made to the Bay of Plenty farmers to have the cribs eleared by May 31.

Mr E. Thompson . coin tended that the crops coming forward were of poorer quality than last season's and would therefore not store so well.

Mr P. Baird expressed the opinion that there seemed to be a weakness in the organisation set up to market the maize. "The maize committee should have better farmer representation and that until growers were directly concerned there would always be Aveaknesses declared Mr McCready.

Mr Sullivan summed up the position by declaring that the onus w r as on the Government to take over the surplus crop as promised. As this promise had not been carried out it was up to the Government to take Immediate steps to see that it was. Tie therefore moved that the Minister of Marketing be asked to take the necessary steps to clear the cribs by the end of May in order to make Available space for the incoming crop.

After considerable discussion this motion was amended slightly to read that the Minister be 1 asked to carrv out the promise made by his officers to have the cribs cleared. Conference To-day The chairman announced that Messrs Ffitch and Fraser, of the Internal Marketing Department, would foe in Whakatane on Wednesday (to-day). It was decided to' invite all maize groAvers toi attend a special conference with these officers and to invite representatives of merchandise firms to be present as well in an adrvisory capacity.