Fruitgrowers Want Security

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 43, 13 November 1937, Page 7

Fruitgrowers Want Security

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INSURANCE SCHEME Protection Against Frost and Storm OTAGO PETITION

(By Telegr&oh-

DUNEDIN, Last Night. In an endeavour to stress upon the Government the urgent need of the majority pf fruitgrowers in Central Otago for some security against the di|astrous effects pf frost, hail and win(l, a petition has been sent to the Prime Minister asking that some measure pf assistance should be given to save the industry from ruin. It has been pointed out to the Prime Minister that some of the „growers are themselves investigatjng an insurance scheme and he has been asked that similar inquiries should be made from. the Government 'g pojnt of view. A fruitgrower from the Ettrick district explained a form of insurance propounded by himself which, he claims, has the support of many growers in Central Qtago, He stated that the scheme would be placed before the Prime Minister at an early date. The insurance scheme which the grower has formulated would require the Department of Internal Marketing to charge a premium. Growers would ngjpipate the amount of cover they wouid requiro, but that amount would be sufficient only to give them living and adequate working expenses in the event pf a total loss. -The whole amount on which premiums have been paid would be disbursed, less a sum covering. that year's premium, and if the losses were only partial, the grower would be allowefl the option of marketing his own prop or of handing it over to the department in return for the total amount of coyer, the department to market the crop. It is suggested that the scheme should be a State cpntrolled one, to be subgidised by the Government to the extent of the total now paid out in frost relief. If carried into effect the insurance scheme would include within its scope not only the growers of Central Otago but also those in Nelson, where hail causes losses, and Bawke's Bay,