STATE DIRECTION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 209, 4 August 1937, Page 9

STATE DIRECTION.

NOT STATE CONTROL. PLAN FOR FRUIT INDUSTRY. WELLINGTON, Aug. 3. The Government is aiming at State direction, rather than State control, of the fruit industry, the acting-Min-ister of Marketing (Hon. W. Lee Martin) told the annual conference of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation and the Fruit-Export Control Board at Wellington to-day. Cabinet, after considering tlie findings of the Fruit Marketing Committee, had decided to put its major recommendations into effect by amending the primary products marketing legislation.

“At first sight this may appear to envisage complete control of your industry, but I can assure you that, although such power will be incorporated in the Act, it is not the Government’s intention to take such control. but rather to vest the responsibility in the hands of those engaged in the industry, unless, of course, an extreme emergency arises,” said the Minister.

It must he recognised, however, that any voluntary scheme, of reorganisation would be bound to fail unless compulsory powers in the form of suitable legislation were available. It was intended that the report of the (Fruit Marketing Committee should serve as the guide hook for the industry, hut, before any of the recommendations were given effect to, they would be studied in the light of changing conditions and as to their practicability. The report represented an ideal, which could be attained only after many years of gradual change or evolution