PRODUCTION OF VEGETABLES

Southland Times, Issue 24869, 8 October 1942, Page 5

PRODUCTION OF VEGETABLES

SUCCESSFUL STATE SCHEME (PA.) WELLINGTON, October 7. “Some considerable time ago the Government fully considered the possibility of a shortage of vegetables for the civilian population and toe armed forces,” said toe Hon. W. J. Barclay, Minister of Agriculture. “After a survey of the position it was decided to take immediate action to ensure that the armed forces would be certain of securing their supplies during the coming season. For this reason I secured the approval of toe Cabinet in May last for Department of Agriculture to undertake an extensive growing programme, and I am pleased to be able to report that this plan is developing successfully and will be coming to fruition towards the end of the present year. The Minister said that though the department’s programme was designed to protect the needs of toe armed forces, he recognized toe necessity of maintaining supplies for the civilian population and toe production of specific types of vegetables required for canning, and he had thus welcomed last week’s deputation from the Dominion Council of commercial gardeners. Mr Barclay said he was satisfied individual producers throughout . the country were facing up to the position and doing everything possible to ensure maximum production. The eight points stressed by the growers’ executive were in the main concerned with manpower, and while it might not be possible to establish a reservoir of fuff” time competent labour, growers could rest assured that every assistance would be given by toe organization of wpmen, secondary school pupils and male labour outside the armed forces. At the same time, however, an approach to obtaining such labour must be made by toe use of toe appropriate machinery which was already established for the purpose. VIEWS OF COMMERCIAL GROWERS (PA.) WELLINGTON, October 7. “The institution of a programme of vegetable production for the armed forces under the control or the Department of Agriculture, as stated by the Minister, is well known to us,” said Mr L. V. Phillips, secretary of toe Dominion Council of Commercial Garden- . ers. “We hope toe venture will be successful, but it is bn toe shoulders of the commercial grower that toe responsibility rests of supplying canning factories with their vast requirements, and ; it is he who must provide for the civilian demand. We can only, reiterate as a council that the commercial growers of toe Dominion acted from a sense ‘ of duty in informing toe public of New i Zealand of toe grave responsibility of ’ the Dominion’s falling down on her commitments for vegetable production. , This is a matter which should not be- . come controversial: it is one that should be tackled in a calm, analytical man- • ner, and an endeavour should be made to face toe problem and not run away from it. The time for investigation and experiment has passed and all risks i must be minimized. The urgency of toe ! matter demands immediate action, spd , we have shown how the best use can • be made of toe existing production ■ facilities.”