GOVERNMENT'S AIM

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 169, 4 August 1937, Page 7

GOVERNMENT'S AIM

-Fres9 Aaaocifip jn. t

State Direetion, Not State Control

( tis I'ele^raph-

wellington, This Day. The Government is aiming at State direetion, , rather than State control, of the fruit industry, the acting-Minister of Marketing, Hon. W. Lee Martin, told the annuai conferencp of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers ' Federation and the Fruit-Export Control EP&r4 7 esterdpy. Cabinpt, after , cposidering thp findings of th§ Fruit Marketing Gomfnltteq, had decided to put its majpr reeommeudations into effect by amending the primary products marketing legislation. "At first sight this may appear to envisage complete control of your industry, but I can assure you that,, although sueh poy/er will be incorporated in the Act? it is not the Gpvernment's intention to take such control, but rather to vest the respqnsibility an the irands of those engagqd in the industry, jxniess, of epursef an extreme emergency. lirises," saifi the Minister. ' ' It must be recognised, however, tfiat any volntary scheme of reorganisatipn would be bound to fail unless eomP'dspry powers in the form oi puitable legislatiqn wpre avaiiable. Not only has Cnbiuet upproyed of- tlm drafting of thi§ legislation for preservation to Parliament at the forthcoming sessionj but it haS also arranged for your industry to be supervised by the Director of Internal Marketing," Mr F. K. Picot. " It was intended that the report of . the Fruit Marketing Committee should

servq as the guide book for the industry, but, before any of the reeommend.ntions were given elfect to they would be studied in the light of • changxng conditions and as to their practicabilaty. The report represented an ideal, whieh oould be attained only after many yeqrs of gradual change of evolution. The Minister went on to refer to the organisation of the marketing oi' lemons, by co-ordinating the actavities of the three co-operative lemon-cunng and pqeking associations at Eeri Keri, Auckland and Tauranga respeetiveiy. This scheme was nearing completion and should result in the more orderly marketing of . New Zealand-grown lemons within the Pomiuion. In addition, a cqnsiderable amount of time had been spent in arranging for faetnry supplies and prices for the eoming season between various interests aud grpwors. These were purely voluntary efforts, until thg ngeessary legislation was bronght down^ but the Minister lelt that a great deal could be aehieved in this way-. "The department is also vitally interested in all matters pertainiug to wagg and labour conditions. in the industry, and is ready to help with any problems conneeted therewith, as any action that affects production costs must neeessarily have a direct heariug on the profitable marketing of your produce," the Minister said.