Businessmen Urged To Grow More Vegetables

Taranaki Daily News, 25 August 1942, Page 5

Businessmen Urged To Grow More Vegetables

"S'nould we qualify for a decoration, let it be 'The Order of Sacrifice,' willingly and cheerfully accepted whatever the responsibility or the demand made of us," said Mr. J. E. Davies, ir^qructor in agriculture, Hawera, addressmg members of the Patea Chamber of Commerce last night. He referred to the danger of the attitude that "it cannot happen here," and indicated that a food shortage had occurred, although many said it could not. To-day the national resources were being strained to the utmost to carry a full war load, said Mr. Davies. No one would question the critical times ahead, more critical perhaps than realised. They should not be lulled into a false sense of security. Manpower must be directed to full *war efficiency. Peacetime essentials must become wartime luxuries. Adequate food supplies were a potervt factor in a victory plan. An increase in food supply was urgent and vital, and was above political, financial and class difference. "Much has been said of the time factor," said Mr. Davies. "Have we checked our war effort output, and what does it reveal? True patriotism is individual. In this gigantic struggle we will not be asked what others did, but what we did. "We may have in the past been disillusioned in the catch phrase, 'It cannot happen here,' but surely this has been dispelled, as the possibility of our country being invaded has become very real," said Mr. Davies. "Again in regard to the shortage of food supply, people have said it cannot happen here. It has happened here. We were warned of such a possibility. What has been our reaction? Can we confidently say that we are doing all we can tp become self-sufficient?" Urging the necessity to dig for victory," Mr. Davies asked his audience to consider what stopped people from growing their own vegetable requirements and to consider the saving in transport and labour that would be effected if all were to grow more and make themselves self-sufficient. In one town 600 tons of potatoes were imported annually for the use of people who could grow some, if not all, their requirements. He also asked his listeners to consider whether they were spending time on ornamental work at the expense of the production effort. He gave details of the State vegetable projects, with particular reference to what was being achieved in Taranaki.