FRUITGROWERS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18480, 7 September 1925, Page 7

FRUITGROWERS.

MEETING OF CANTERBURY ASSOCIATION.

The Canterbury Fruitgrowers' Association met on Saturday night, Mr E. Freeman presiding over a fair attendance. Railage of Sbooks. Mr F. W. Cone reported regarding the representations made by the Fruitgrowers' Federation to the Railway Board in respect of the new rates for. the railage of fruit shooks. He said that they spent two hours with the Board, and in the end it was put to them that the Board could not entertain the Federation's' proposals." They were informed that timber for fruitgrowers was carried at a less rate than butter-box timber. In the discussion that ensued, instances were cited where shook.", had'been charged at per ton weight instead of per ton measurement.

C. E. Pope stated that in respect of a consignment that measured four- tons, he had been changed for 4 tons TJcwt by weight. No action was taken, but the opinion was expressed that stationmasters should receive instructions either to charge by measurement or by weight.

Fruit by Express Trains. A discussion ensued on the question of sending fruit by express trains. In order to speed up the passenger service, the Department has restricted the amount that one grower can send to any one person or firm to 2cwt, and it was submitted that this limitation would act disadvantageously in glut periods on the local market. Tomatogrowers were especially interested in the matter, and asked for a return to the previous state of affairs hereunder the-in-dividual grower was not restricted as to the amount he could send to'one person or firm. Mr Frank Sisson commented that the Government was doing everything it possibly could to harass and humbug the Canterbury fruitgrowers. Mr Pope said that since the faster express services had been introduced, fewer passengers had been carried. It was decided to try and arrange for. a. •deputation frcm the Association to wait on the Minister of Railways when he is next in Canterbury, and to make representations to him on this and other raihv.iv matters affecting fruitgrowers. It was also decided to communicate with Central Otago fruitgrowers to enlist their co-operation in respect to the carriage of fruit on express trains.

Advertising Canterbury Fruit. Mr Fred King asked what had been done regarding the setting up of an Advertising Committee to arrange for the advertising of Canterbury fruit. The chairman said that they' bad been talking about advertising '.heir fruit, but Ihev had only talked and had done nothing. Thev ought to do sonwthing. and he suggested that they should get in touch with the Ijoburn growers with the view of taking combined action. Mr Cone exvlaineil matters regarding the Federation's subsidy to asso.-iat'ons in respect of money sper.t by t'icni on advertising. The resolution on tbe Federation's books referred only t-i advertising stone fruits, hv-t any Associ-jrioa by applying for a subsidy in respect of pip as was as stone fruit* conVt ob'i-am it. The following Adverting Corrmittee was set up: s!>«srs Vranl: Si«son. 0. Pcpe. and T. A. Shearmnr. Tfc recited trial. Messrs Freeman am: i'ore rh.-.u'<! a»•?*•! th : r. week's meetin- of I.ob'ir-i ifgrn**ers ft-.r the purpose of urrirg thorn to co-pperato in the advertising campaign.

Federation T.loctirf. Jlr Cone repor'ci ''-■»* iat'est meeting o:'*the directors of the Federation. Nelson had been granted a • subsidy up to £C.I, fcr the purpose of pushing tbc'r campaign jot local" control in respect of standardisation onl*\ I" accordance with tbo instruction from conference. a vote of £IOO had been made to the Cawthron Institute to assist in the invest'.s»t'-on of orchard diseases. In re«T>ect of t'.ip conference instruction regardin" payment far cases he (Mr Cone), at the request of the secretary of the Federation, hat' drafted a circular fo.Uing out how the matter was dealt with in. Canterbury. Directors had been asked, to pet their districts to di'C'tss local control in respect of standardisation onW. Mr Cone said tlrnt they were not going "to discuss it here, as they did not want it. Discussion took place regarding the announcement that for representation purposes in connexion with tho Fruit Export Control Board, Canterbury had been linked up with Nelson and Marlborough. Originally Canterbury was linked with Otago, but Otaeo took advantage ot the provision* of section 4 of tho Act, and by petition signed bv 70 per cent, of the exporters, was excluded from the export control provisions. Canterburv assumed that because it was linked with Ota go for representation purposes it was also linked with it in the matter of the petition; whereas, apparently, if it had desired exclusion it should have taken separate and independent "action under secwas stated that there were only three fruitgrowers in Canterbury that exported sufficient fruit to make them eligible to siga . petition praying for exclusion, and doubt was expressed if 70 per cent- could be got to sien it. It was thought that one out of »v.o thrne favoured control. It was decided to write to Mr G. Witty. MJ > 8Bl( i ask him to ascertain if Canterbury r,mid bo excluded from the export control provisions of the Act if a petition s.gned lir 70 per cent, of the producers of fruit for export was presented.