GENEROUS OFFER

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20956, 8 November 1939, Page 14

GENEROUS OFFER

PURCHASE OF FRUIT CLAIM BY MINISTER (By TelOßraDh.—Special to Times) WELLINGTON, Tuesday “I believe the Government’s proposal is generous and fair, and I hope that soon we will be able to reach agreements for marketing apples and pears both inside and outside the Dominion,” said the Minister of Marketing, the Hon. W. Nash, in a broadcast address tonight, w T hen discussing proposals for the control of pip fruit ior the coming season. The Minister gave details of the Government’s latest offer, including a price of 7s a case, f.0.b., for a million cases, instead of the 6s fid a case offered earlier. The fact that the fruitgrowers were in entirely different position from other primary producers was emphasised by Mr Nash. He said that the United Kingdom Government did not want to buy fruit from New Zealand this year, and there was also a difficulty about shipping space. Thus there had arisen a problem that had been the subject of subsequent negotiations between himself and representatives of the growers. Two conferences were held on November 2, and he had since sent a draft of the Government’s proposals to the chairman of the Fruit Export Control Board, the Minister said. Briefly, the proposals were that the Government should under- . take to buy a million cases at 7s a case, f.0.b., and provide £IO,OOO for advertising, subject to the approval of the Cabinet. He had no doubt that this approval would be given. A central marketing organisation would be established, with the necessary authority. Advances By Banks In short, tne Government was willing to pay £350,000 for a million cases of fruit if they were available for export not later than April 30. It would also advise the banks so that they could finance their clients and would guarantee up to £IOO,OOO to enable cash advances to be made on fruit in cool stores. In the event of the fruit sold overseas being marketed at a profit to the Government, there would be paid into a pool a sum to compensate for the extent to which local sales fell short, he said. If, after doing this, there was still a profit on the overseas sales, any surplus would be paid to the credit of the fruit industry. It was the Government’s desire that the inspection system, and the stamp system on each case, should continue. The industry felt, however, that it could not accept this scheme, the Minister said. It would prefer marketing control, plus a minimum guarantee of 5s a case at assembly point. “I think that the Government has been particularly generous.” he added. The offer for export was practically equal to last season’s guarantee. The Government was willing to help the fruit industry, and he hoped that the fruit-growers and their representatives would take the offer in the spirit in which it was made and see if some agreement could not be reached.