THE FRUITGROWERS' CONFERENCE AT SYDNEY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 258, 5 November 1906, Page 6

THE FRUITGROWERS' CONFERENCE AT SYDNEY.

NEW ZEALAND'S POSITION,

THE "FIVE PER CENT" MOTION

EXPLAINED.

'A TALK WITH A DELEGATE.

SrS nry Mackie ; wh °. with Mr. Sturgess, reprcsentpd New ZeaUnd he recent Inter-State Fruitgrowers' Conference at Sydney, gave a "Star" reporter on Saturday an interview whii'h. clears up several points which had hitherto been obscure. The first point to be explained was now it was that two Aueklanders were sent to represent the whole of New Zea.land.

'•The first intimation to got of the proposed Conference," said Mr. Mackic reached us from ouv Agricultural Department, the biologist (Mr. Kirk) informing us that ho had received an invitation for Xcw Zealand to send three delegates to a Commonwealth Conference to be held at Sydney on October lotll In acknowledging that invitation Mr. K:rk replied that in view of the fact Unit an Intercolonial Conference was proposed to be held at Christehureh next March it was improbable that any New Zealand delegates would attend the Sydney meeting. At that time nothing was said about expenses. The matter was considered by our union" (the Auckland iruitgrovers' Union), "and we. tacitly agreed with Mr. Kirk's view. On October Ist, however, our union received a direct communication from the joint secretaries of" the Federal Conference, especially inviting us to sond one or two delegates, or a third if no other was coming from other parts of New Zealand, and stating that arrangements had been made with the shipping companies for free passages for all delegates, in view of the large volume of trade the companies derived from the fruitgrowing industry. A meeting of the union was immediately held, and it, was arranged that Mr. Sfcirgoss and I should go. No other delegates were sent from Xe.w Zealand. The Conference started on October loth, and lasted two days." ,

As to the bearing of the discussion upon New Zealand, ifr MaeJde said: '"Nearly all the resolutions before the conference had reference solely to the Commonwealth. We were there really only a s guests of the conference, although they invited us very cordially to take part in all their discussions."

'"The Australian feeling toward New Zealand.' , said Mr Mackie on another point, "is very friendly indeed. The delegates expressed the opinion that our colony is in a very fortunate position in the matter of legislation. They pointed out that whereas each of their States lias to legislate in ways to satisfy itself and its neighbours, New Zealand had only to legislate for itself. Moreover, they consider that our Government is—perhaps for that very reason—more sympathetic toward the fruitgrowing industry; that our laws are intelligently administered, and that our authorities do all that they can to foster and promote i lie welfare of the industry. That spirit of governmental sympathy ia not so apparent in Australia. For example, although the shipping companies granted the delegates free, passages to the. Ponfprpn<'e, thp X.S.W. railway authorities rpfused (rep passages over the railways. Even free passages were refused for otir visit, to the Hawkesbury Agricultural College, half rates oaly being granted, and then only on condition that not less than a party of 30 went.' .

"The. class of men engaged in fruitgrowing in the Commonwealth? I was particularly struck with their wealth and their broad-mindedness. They approached every question in a very brond colonial spirit. One man at the conference had just paid £7000 for a neglected orchard, and expected to spend another £2000 in putting it in order. Tlie deleg-at.es spoke of their shipments of thousands of cases per week, and some of them chartered a ship. Most of the delegates were large shippers to the Olfl Country. They express a wish (that the barrier which U-ee-ps their grapes and other fruit out of New Zealand might bp removed. They say they could supply us with fruit when we are short, and wo could return the compliment when their late crops are finished."

"What about the fi per cent resolution which is creditpd to you* Would you still advocate it after the recent fruit fly scare?' , '■You refer to the resolution that fruit containing only 5 per eo.nt of infestation should be admitted as free from disease , ; There is & serious misapprehension there. The resolution did not apply to Kc\v Zealand at all." "You were reported to have moved it." "That is incorrect. Probably the error arose in this way. I moved and carried a motion that a committee should be set up to consolidate thft business of the order paper, and subsequently I was appointed secretary of thrs committee. The resolution relating to the 5 per cent of infected fruit was submitted by this committee, and was laid before the Conference by myself a.s secretary of this committee. But it had no reference to New Zealand. 1 have recently received a communication from the Hawke's Bay union expressing dissent from the resolution, and have replied explaining the matter to them. 1 a.m alad you {rave mc -the opportunity of publicly correcting the misapprehen-

sHvn.' , air. Maekie spoke ii the highest admiration of the work done at the Hawke's Bay Agricultural College. The next conference was to br hekl next October at Adelaide.