DIFFICULT TIMES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 August 1941, Page 6

DIFFICULT TIMES

FOR THE FRUIT INDUSTRY FEDERATION CONFERENCE. OPENED BY MINISTER OF MARKETING. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Opening the annual conference of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation, the Minister of Marketing (Mr Barclay) said it was a cardinal point in the policy of the Government that where any industry received a heavy blow in any crisis, the burden should be shared as far as possible by the community as a whole. The fruit industry had undergone revolutionary changes, mainly because of the difficulty of exporting surplus apples and pears, and drastic steps had had to be taken. All they could do was to make plans from time to time. Mr Barclay expressed gratification at the co-operation the Government had received from the fruit industry. He said the Government had taken on a tremendous responsibility when it came to the rescue of fruitgrowers. He expected that the loss this year would be about two shillings, a case. That was the loss on local consumption last year, but because of the profit on export in 1940 they practically came out level. The half-millionth case of fruit produced in the Nelson Central district was presented to Mr Barclay at the opening of the conference. Mr A. Forsyth, Nelson, said the gift was made in deep appreciation of what the Government was trying to do for the fruitgrowers in difficult times.