TOMATO-GROWERS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19163, 21 November 1927, Page 10

TOMATO-GROWERS.

FRUIT BY PASSENGER EXPRESS TRAINS. The Christchurch Stone Fruit and Tomato Growers' Association met on Saturday night, Mr 0. E. Pope presiding over a good attendance. The chairman reported the result of negotiations for the carriage of- fruit by passen-. ger expresses when goods expresses were not running. He said that while the Railway Board and the secretary had given him to understand that an unlimited quantity would be carried, when they came to discuss matters with Mr H. Chapman, Traffic Manager, Christchurch, they found that he desired to limit the amount to two tons. During last holiday time as much as seven tons were sent. The restriction would have been as unsatisfactory as it would have been unfair. As the result of further representations this restriction was removed. After two or three years' agitation they had got matters definitely fixed so that fruit could be carried at ordinary fruit jates by passenger express trains when goods expresses are not being run. Island Tomatoes. The Nelson Tomato Growers' Association wrote that it had no proposals'to make respecting Rarotongan tomatoes at present, but the Association would continue its agitation to prevent them from being allowed in after November. The secretary said that Mr Geo. A. Green, secretary of the Auckland Tomato Growers' Association, had sent an apology for being unable to be present. Mr Green had told him that growers in the north were fully alive to the situation regarding Rarotongan tomatoes. Mr Green was going to interview the Nelson growers, probably this week, and he intended to bring forward proposals for \he restriction of imports during November and December. He (the speaker) did not think- it would be possible to get anything beyond that, and it would be sufficient if it could be accomplished. Another suggestion Mr Green intended making was that Island fruit should be marked with the name of the place of origin. Mr Reid, who had been lent from the Department of Industries and Commerce to advise the Rarotongan growers, had told Mr Green that the Rarotongan growers were willing to restrict" their importations for the months mentioned, but this could be brought about only by agreement between the New Zealand and the Rarotongan growers. Mr Green did not think that Parliament would do anything, as the Cook Islands were a dependency of the Dominion. On the motion of Mr W. Bucktin, it was resolved to get into communication with the other tomato-growers' associations of the Dominion and obtain their opinion on a proposal to send two representatives from New Zealand —one from the North Island and on" from the South Island—to the Islands, to discuss matters with the growers there.' Mr Bucktin said that in their discussions they had overlooked the fact that Fiji sent tomatoes to the Dominion. He heard that there were some Fiji tomatoes on sale in Dunedin last week. . The chairman said that there was a duty of 2d per. lb on Fiji tomatoes. It was agreed to bring up the matter' of increasing the duty before Parliament meets next year. The resolution changing the name of the Association to the Christchurch Tomato and Stone Fruit Growers' Association was confirmed. A general discussion on tomato culture was initiated by Mr D. J. Falla.