MINISTER SURPRISED

Chronicle (Levin), 25 September 1946, Page 5

MINISTER SURPRISED

-Press Assoeiation

dopfflittee'5 Recojnpfldatiftq QFfPfTAB®

By Telegraph-

WELLINGT.ON/tS,ep,t. 25. Surprise ,thp.t the ^ompregci^l gardeners of New Z.ealand yyere entirely happy to revert toi the preiwar practices in marketing was expressed by the Mirqs^er .o'f Rehabilitation, Mr. • SMnner, who deputised for the Minist'er. of Agriculture, Mr. Roberts, at the annual conference of the Dominion council of Commercial Gardeners. Mr. Skinner said «he -was surprised to learn that the vegetable marketing advisory committee had r.ecommended that it be disbanded, as he considered it would have had .a hig job ahead .ofN.it. "The Government will .be h&PPy to assist in marketing improvments that can ,b.e sugges.ted," said Mr. Skinner. "WXtfr .an increasing knowledge of the vaiue of prbtective foods, the publilc -of New Zealand is coming to r.e&lise tliey ar.e essential, and Sihoidd be 4elivefed to the home in as fresh a .condition as poss'ible." ' Owiiig to " .thast increased conscio.usnesg, he ^ddjed, it had bec.ome ni.QJe and mpre ;a Government- responsibility tq ge.e that an adeq.uate supply ,of Vegetables was produ'ced (at all seasons, and the Governrnent would he pleased to co-operate in efforts aiming .at a planned ,qnd pientiful production linked with ,economic security for ihe producer. The Government thought the' distribution and marketing of vegetables should devqlve on the grower, said Mr. B. V. Cooksley, -in his presidential address. He considered that the primary object of the growers was to produce goods, and it was wrong for the Government to put the onus ,of distribution on them. There was also the question o.f municipal marketing schemes. That question should be decfded by municipal .au.thofities and the Government in cqllaboration with the growers, but the growers should not hav.e to ihoulder the whole resppn'sibility of distribution.