THE FRUIT INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 568, 24 July 1909, Page 13

THE FRUIT INDUSTRY.

GQVEENMENT CHANGES. CONTEM- ' ■ PLATED. : v-'.".v

With a view to the devefopment of the fruil industry, Mr. T: W. Kirk lias been placed in: full charge of the branch of the Department of Agriculture. Referring. to, .the : matter,; the Hon: T. -Mackenzie; (Minister for. Agriculture) stated yesterday; that New Zealand imported 430,000■ worth 'of apples and .£28,000 worth of tinned and bottled lTuits every year. In addi-. tion it imported .6181,000 worth of; fresh fruit. Even if New Zealand grew only sufficient fruit to supply its own wants, such a development would provide industrial, room for. many people as fruit-growersT His instructions to Mr.': Kirk were to' specialise on. that one subject.. : The Governmont was going to, considerable trouble to secure the very best' standard varieties of fruit, so that those who were likely to take up tho industry might* know that they could procure the most suitable treo6.'What growers Wanted, to know .was how to plant orohards, 'tho best varieties of. trees, the classes best suited for oxjaort and the' proper methods of packing. -Full, information was also needed with regard to transit''to' the Home markets'.'"and •' trade prospects. With that end in view, Mr, Kirk would devote-himself exclusively to the. subject. Grower? ought to be able to get 10s. Gd. at Homo, for a. 401 b. ciisctof apples:? Of- that, amount, packing and transit, etc., would run into ; 3s. lUd. That would leave a net profit-of 'IJd. per lb. to tho'grower. Every .year' tho United Kingdom . ,1'2,0U0.000 worth of apples and iU0,000,000 worth of fresh, fruit, and Now Zealand, after first supplying her own demands, should bo then to.share, with Tasniania.. ,

Orchards in New Zealand had increased in area from 22,000 acres to 28,000 acres in a; very tew j years,' despite the fact that a number 'of infested'orchards had liad to be destroyed. In full bearing, an orchard in New Zealand should give a return of • =£30 per norc. Just now there was at, Wairiuigi an enthusiast from the Pacific Slopes who had given: the Government a lot of valuable help. Wairangi I(inds. which were formerly considered valueless, had been shown to l;c very "suitable for the growing of .apples.' in. conclusion,' Mr. Mackenzie said lie hoped to extend the plantations there with a view to forming homes for tUooo who had had training in fruit-growing.