CASE CHARGE DISPUTE

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24895, 7 June 1946, Page 5

CASE CHARGE DISPUTE

CONFERENCE FAILS PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS TO CONTINUE MEANTIME (P.A.) WELLINGTON. June S. A claim by a retailers' delegate that if the retailers could meet the Chinese growers alone they would speedily reach a settlement, was a feature of the closing stages of a conference between Dominion delegates of retailers and vegetable growers when it adjourned this afternoon without any agreement having been reached on the container dispute. The speaker was the secretary of the retailers’ Dominion Mr C. C. King (Auckland). His remark drew cries of dissent.

A committee which had been meeting under the chairmanship of Mr F. P. Walsh, after deliberating until late the previous night, and continuing through this morning, had reported that agreement had not been reached. Mr Walsh told the meeting that the representatives of each side had been most helpful. After full discussion the retailers had placed a proposal before the growers, and had said they would guarantee acceptance of the proposal by tneir members. The retailers had gone a long way to meet the growers, but the growers said it was not far enough.

Mr W. Wah, secretary of the Chinese growers’ Dominion organisation, said they had attempted very earnestly<to meet the retailers. They felt they could not agree to the proposals. The growers could not see how the container charge could be reduced in the way proposed, and containers still conserved for further use. It had been agreed by the parties that the fruit container charge be left as at present until the Fruit Federation met in August, but the suggestion that the price of a tomato case be increased to 4d, instead of being reduced to 2d, because of its increasing cost to the grower, could not be agreed on. Vegetable growers were very anxious for a. settlement* but they felt they could not prejudice the case of fruitgrowers. The chairman said it was evident that there was very little between the parties. Mr Walsh suggested that the meeting be adjourned to a date in a few weeks, the existing arrangements to be continued meantime. A committee of representatives of both 1 sides could continue to attempt to reach a settlement, and report back to the meeting when ’it reconvened. “Finally,” said Mr Walsh, “you will have to reach an agreement between yourselves.’’

Mr L. V. Phillips, secretary of the Dominion Council of Commercial Gardeners, moved the adoption of this suggestion. The president of the New Zealand Fruit Retailers’ Association, Mr L. K. Jonkers, said the growers’ final proposals had taken them back to the position at the start of the dispute. The prices now submitted for consideration were in some cases higher than before.

The retailers’ secretary, King, said he was very disappointed that no agreement had been reached. “I believe it is only one section of growers which will pay the penalty if the war goiM on—the Chinese,’’ Mr King said. They are the only people sending produce to the markets at present, I think if we could meet the Chinese gj-ower on his own we could make a settlement.”

Mr King seconded the motion, which was carried, for the meeting to reconvene on June 19. Each side will appoint its representaives for the incommittee to explore a means of settlement.