LEVY ON SALE OF VEGETABLES

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28266, 2 May 1957, Page 9

LEVY ON SALE OF VEGETABLES

Gardeners’ Petition Supported

If the petition made to the Government by the Dominion Council of Commercial Gardeners for a produce levy on the sale of all vegetables was successful it would enable the industry to place itself among the major industries of the Dominion, said the president of the Canterbury Tomato, Stone Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (Mr N. M. Stow) at the annual meeting of the association last evening. The petition had been accepted by the Minister of Agriculture (Mr K. J. Holyoake) and would be placed before the Cabinet when he returned from overseas, he said. The petition had been signed by 72 per cent, of all the growers in New Zealand and 75 per cent, of those in Canterbury, said Mr Stow. “The produce levy has been requested as a means by which the Dominion Council will collect funds to administer the affairs of the industry.” It was proposed that the levy be collected from all growers who supplied vegetables to the market, the canneries and the quick freezing factories. Some form of flat rate would have to be considered for growers selling from their properties or from street stalls, he said. Officers elected were:— President, Mr N. M. Stow; vicepresidents, Messrs A. F. Seyb, tJ R. Mundy; secretary-treasurer, Mr J. P. Goldsmith; executive committee, Messrs J. Barker. F. C. Lucas, S. G. T. Lilley, C. S. Harris.

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