"ANOTHER BUNGLE"

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 102, 27 October 1945, Page 8

"ANOTHER BUNGLE"

POTATO IMPORTS

OPPOSITION COMMENT

The recent importation of potatoes from Tasmania was discussed in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon. Mr. R. G. Gerard (National, Mid-Canterbury) described the business as another example of. State bungling. Government members said a laudable attempt had been made by the State to av.oid a potato famine in the Dominion.

Mr. Gerard said that he inspected the shipment which came to Wellington, and was able to say that the Ministerial assurance that less than' 10 per cent, was unfit for consumption was utterly incorrect. The Wellington Harbour Bcerd requested their removal owing, to their bad condition, and he saw several hundred bags which could only be dumped. According to reports, the bulk of the Auckland shipment had to.be dumped and he assumed there would be a big claim against the Government from the United States Purchasing Board. The Director of the Marketing Division, added Mr. Gerard, did some strange, buying in Australia, selecting varieties of potatoes which were: not good keepers. Mr. C. M. Williams (Government, Kaiapoi) suggested that the Opposition, critic was only carrying out the policy of blaming the Government for everything that happened. He detailed the position of the potato supply, which he said was so good that large quantities were sent overseas in April and May. The long wet season in Canterbury prevented digging for about three months, and there was a danger of a potato famine. That caused the Government to arrange for Australian- importations, and the condition of the potatoes when they arrived was entirely due to the shortage of shipping causing delays. It was not a matter for which the Government should be blamed. Mr. Williams added that he had been in the potato business, and knew that dumping of unfit stocks was not unknown to private enterprise, because all sorts of things were likely to go wrong with potatoes. Mr. J. A. Roy (National, Clutha) said that 40 per cent, of the potatoes he inspected at Wellington had to be dumped, as they were unfit for human consumption. Mr. A. S. Richards (Government, Roskill) said the potatoes had been in excellent condition when shipped for New Zealand, but there had been carelessness at the other end. Due to bad ventilation the temperature in the holds was in excess of what it ought to have been and the potatoes had become overheated.

Mr. W. Sullivan (National, Bay of Plent): Who bored the holes in them?

Mr. Richards said that because a few hundred out of thousands of sacks went bad the Opposition blamed the I.M.D. There had been the threat of a potato famine and the Government came to the rescue and did the best it could in an almost impossible position.