HIGHER GUARANTEE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 170, 5 August 1937, Page 8

HIGHER GUARANTEE

Out Own Correspondent.)

Apple Varieties That Are Costly to Grow CONFERENCE REQUEST

(From

WELLINGTON, This Day. The Government is to be asked to increase the guarantee on varieties of apples ' ahd bearers of a high market value when production and harvesting costs, are high in comparison with tliose of other varieties. Discussing the question at yesterday's session of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation certain delegates who had sympathy with- the growers directly concerned expressed ■ the fear that such a step might be prejudicial to the guarantee on lowerquality fruit. Mr D. Haining, of Motueka, in introducing the proposal, said he considered that the aim in the nest guarantee should be to give'3/- a case net to the producer of high-valued fruit which was more costly to grovf. Any amount over 12/6 a case realised should be used to offset other varieties which were below the guarantee price. Mr J. L. Brown said that the proposal would require carefulv handllng. In reply to his question Mr Benzies (secretary) said that qnly good grade G of Cox's Orange last year was below 10/- a case. Mr j. H. Milne (Hawke's Bay) expressed the fear that the proposal might open the door towards- reducing the guarantee on poorer varieties. Mr R. Paynter (Hawke's Bay) agreed that Cox's Orange were more costly to grow, but he was afraid that by the proposal they might be on dangerous ground in regard to the guarantee for other varieties such as Jonathans, Delicious, and Sturmer, of which there were large quantities. Mr L. Robinson, of Nelson, considered that the scale system of guarantee might- be daiigerous. Mr Haining, in reply, said that if nothing were done growers would not be encouraged to grow Cox's Orange, which he was satisfied would in no wav be a drag on the guarantee. Th'e resolution was carried