AIM OF ORCHARDISTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20101, 22 November 1939, Page 12

AIM OF ORCHARDISTS

LIVING CONDITIONS EQUAL TO EMPLOYEES OPINIONS IN OTAGO Willingness to meet the Government in the present period of emergency, but a desire that some finality should be reached at the earliest possible moment in regard to the marketing of this season's fruit crop, were expressed in two resolutions carried at a representative meeting of fruitgrowers of Otago at Roxburgh on Saturday. Discussion at the meeting covered a great deal of previous ground, but the resolutions, which were carried unanimously, fairly represented the views of those present. The price which the Otago grower is prepared to accept for pip fruit i.s one which will give him and his family a living at least equal to that of the average orchard worker. Mr. F. G. Duncan, representing the Fruit Control Board, presided. Resolutions were: “That, in view of the present emergency, this meeting of Olago pip fruit growers is prepared to accept any scheme which will assure the grower a standard of living for himself and his family at least equal to that of the average adult orchard worker, and, in particular, we strongly support the recommendations forwarded to the Minister by the chairman of the. conference of the Fruit Growers’ Federation and the Fruit Control Board under date November 2 last.” “That, in order to obtain quick finality of the present difficult position of pip fruit growers, this meeting recommends that further negotiations between the Government and the industry be conducted by a small executive committee, without further reference to the growers.”