NEW ZEALAND'S HOP INDUSTRY

NZ Truth, Issue 1196, 1 November 1928, Page 15

NEW ZEALAND'S HOP INDUSTRY

PROHIBITION WOULD CRIPPLE HUNDREDS OF FARMS:

The severe hardship that would be cailsed among those engaged m the hop-growing industry m the event of prohibition being carried, was pointed out by the Chairman of the Nelson Hop Growers' Co-operative Association at their recent annual meeting: —

"There are over 200 hop-growers m the, district," he said, '.'and if this industry was lost through prohibition being enforced, we do not know -»yhat we could produce on our farms ,to give, the same return and income. "To further emphasise the importance of the hop-growing industry to the Nelson district, I have taken out figures tb -. show what has been paid to pick the hop-crop. You will be amazed to learn, gentlemen, that we hop-growers during a. period of flve to six weeks have paid annually during the past six years over £14,500, and most of this money has been distributed amongst women and girls. This one item alone would be a serious loss In our particular district, and- 1 am sure would be felt by not only the pickers but by every store-keeper. 1

"Yqu, are all well aware picking is n6t,.theonly item of expense m raising the hop crop. Labour lias to be found for numbers to attend to the drying, baling, tilling the grqund, cutting and stringing the vine/etc, and- I do not hesitate m stating that the cost of this, added to the , cost of. picking, would total m round figures to anything from £35,000 to £40,000 per annum." No less . than £250,000 is. paid annually to barley iand hqp-grbw'ers m New Zealand, affording a living to hundreds of families, i , ■■> ', '. : Prohibition as it would be enacted permits- of no compensation whatever to anyone deprived of a living. . This is' one of the many reasons why a big Continuance majority 1 is anticipated.* . '"' ', ''■- ,',.,2