PROHIBITING EXPORT OF POTATOES.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 8, Issue 453, 28 February 1919, Page 3

PROHIBITING EXPORT OF POTATOES.

(To the Editor) Sir,—The Board of Trade must feel proud of their actions in reeommendiDg the above at a time when markets are glutted. It would be interesting to the producers to know the source of their exhaustive enquiries and the reasons fcr their decision. What evidence do they requue of a plentiful supply other than a declining market ? What could be more ridiculous than the Hon. A. M Myers' explanation in the '' Herald " of the 21st instant ? He says that " after an investigation by the Board of Trade, it was decided to issue the proclamation," and in the same breath, "if after investigation, it is found that the supplies are more than sufficient for local requirements, the question will be reviewed" How funny ; the investigation already made, and decision given, they will investigate again to find out what should have been found out in the first instance! Brainy procedure, indeed. Now we are told we can export if wo obtain a permit. Then we have *,u Auckland merchant giving his views (the only thing he does give away) on something over which he loses no swefit in its production. He says it's a g< od thing (the proclamation) He knows growers who have taken a gross return of £IOO per acre. Is he one of those who did this last year, when some of the merchants fund h<; s<ed and manure and wet t in on shares with the grower ? If so, I venture to say he did not repeat the experiment this year We would very much like to know who this meichant is All that concerns him is the profits he can make from the sweat of our labour. Seeing that the Hon A M. Myers, the Board of Trade, and the merchants are maki g Frantic but fuile efforts to provide < h°ap potatopp, I would suggest the foil v. it g practical u.eihod, that these gentltin- u go in for say, growing, 100 acres of potatoes; and, to give them a good ttart, 1 think we could pneure this area of land in this disric:, bandy to rail, at a nominal r*iital («r even rent free), provided they use the average dressing of fertilisers and ca'rv the work ou*, in a practical manner. Taking " merchant's" assumption, of £IOO per acre return, th.s would represent a gro-s return of £IO.OOO Surely this is sufficient inducemeit, and I am sure the above trio would find the work interesing, instruct ve, and perhaps remunerative Now, we hio had enough of these polit cal sop th«t ara hand d out to different sectioi a of tha community by these in aut.otity, and it is time the pioducer- claimed the r ght of an open umikit fir their labours, f.nti had renmvtd the Ministers, the politicians, together wi h this "Bundling Hoard of Hu«jbodies" responsible for this unwarranted iuterference. Yours, etc, R W. JOHNS. Mauku, Febiuary 2oth.