CHALLENGE ISSUED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 November 1943, Page 4

CHALLENGE ISSUED

BY N.Z. FRUITGROWERS’ FEDERATION TO MINISTER OF FINANCE. EVASION OF REAL ISSUE ALLEGED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. In a statement today, the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation challenges the Minister of Finance,'to publish the findings of a special committee of the Stabilisation Comfhissioii which recently investigated production costs in the fruit industry./ The federation alleges that the Minister has evaded the real issue and treated'growers unfairly. When the war began the industry was faced with the fact thtit its share of shipping space had to be v given up because of war emergency, states the federation. It was, evident that this would overload the local market, and in a state of panic, after a month’s negotiating, the industry accepted for one year a price which was lOd a case below the average cost of production. This had never been adjusted, and the treatment meted out to growers had resulted in a decreasing/ production alongside an ever-increasing demand for fruit. Today there was a famine in the anole and near market, and every case could be sold at prices which were only limited by the Government itself, leaving ah unsatisfied demand. The request of the producers for an increase of 7Jd a case was less than one-fifth of a penny per pound. The industry was prepared to abide by the findings of the special committee of the Stabilisation Commission, and growers hadawaited for three months for the findings of the committee, believing that at least the basic price would be adjusted equitably. At the meeting of Ministers last Thursday it was clear that, of the four Minitsers present, not one had even read the committee’s report.