Pessimistic

Cook Is. Growers

New N.Z. Government Wants "Full Control” of Industry

From Our Own Correspondent

Rarotonga, Feb. 26.

17'EEN disappointment followed receipt JV of a radiogram from the new Prime Minister of New Zealand concerning the proposed Fruit Control Board, and in con nection with which Judge Ayson recently handed the Minister a petition from some 600 local growers.

The radiogram, after declining—on grounds of economy—the producers’ sug gestion to send delegates to N.Z., went on to advise those interested to petition Par liament, in order that a full enquiry into the Island’s fruit industry might be held.

The Government, Mr. Savage continued, would be unlikely to approve of any board of which the Government had not “full control.” At the same time he hastened to add that “every consideration would be given to any proposals to give growers the power to elect their own representatives” —a statement which was somewhat diffi cult to follow.

In conclusion, the Minister made it quite clear that no finality would be reached until proposals are, first, acceptable to the Government, and, secondly, discussed by all parties connected with the fruit trade.

Growers, who have always been unani mous in their demands for an elected Board, are now fearful lest “full Govern ment control” will resolve itself into “full local control” by a board of nominated — and salaried —members whose interests would not necessarily be those of the pro ducers. The whole attitude of the growers is consequently one of suspicion and dis trust towards those in whom by rights the greatest confidence should be placed, and there is a marked reluctance to pin any fresh faith on promises that past experi ence has so often proved chimerical.

Had this delay been deliberately en gineered, it could scarcely have been more welcome to opponents of the Board since growers, 99 per cent, native, are notori ously incapable of sustaining interest or preserving their unanimity of opinion over a lengthy period.

Nevertheless, further public meetings have been held during the past fortnight, at which the newly drafted petition to Parliament has been minutely discussed and signed by an overwhelming majority.

The wishes of the producers are now doubly clear. It remains to be seen if their interests will be studied when set in the scales against such financially weighty organisations as the New Zealand fruit buying concerns.

Miss Margaret Devitt, of the New Guinea Mission, returned to Samarai, Papua, by the February Montoro, after leave in Australia.

Misses M, O. Lenz, M.A., M. McKittrick, E. J. Boden, and P. Steadman have been appointed assistant teachers at the Suva Girls’ Grammar School for two years.

They arrived in Fiji from New Zealand by the Niagara on February 7.

Mrs. M. Hughes, of Cremorne, N.S.W., returned to Sydney by the Nellore on February 20 after a visit to New Britain to attend the marriage of her daughter Nancy to Mr. James P. L. Burke, at St.

Francis Xavier’s Church, Rabaul.