FRUIT INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 655, 4 November 1909, Page 8

FRUIT INDUSTRY.

MINISTHtt FOR AGRICULTUfIE ON ITS j DEVELOPMENT. FIRST DOMINION CONFERENCE. Tho first .conference ot fruitgrowers representing associations throughout New Zealand opened yesterday in the Dominion Museum Ov«r twenty delegates were present Their names were published yesterday, but when the roll was called at tho Opening of tho proceeding!,, it was ascertained that Motueka and Tovidfc would not be represented, and that Mr W H Gould had been appointed to conl ploto the Hawko's 'Bay delegation Messrs T W Kirk (Direotor), A H Cockayno (Biologist), and W A. BOuchor (Pomologist) -represented the Orchards' Division of th« Department of \gnculturo Mr I , Sisson (Canterbury) was elected chairman, and Mr B Wilkinson (Canterbury) secretary of tho conference < THE MINISTER'S ADDRESS The Hon Mackenzie, Minister for Agriculture, viated the conference during tho morning and addressed the delegates He said the future of tl)o fruit grow ing industry would be a tory good one, if it was properly taken in hand Mr Kirk had now been directed to devote the whole of his time to work in con neobon with tho fruit-growing industry, and wrth his knowledge and experience the results would doubtjloss bo highly beneficial This country was admirably adapted for growing many kinds, of frmt, which >ere needed bj ourselves and m* other p?rts of the world The area under fruit in New Zealand had largely increased of late years, 931 acres being added in 1008, and the increase was expected to be as great this year Th,o figures for 190§, namely, acres, worked out at $1 ucres per thousand of population Tho ratio in Australia nas 41 acres per thousand Areas under a quarter p£ 'an acre'in extent and glass houses and tomato gardens were deluded An acre should return J!3O net per annum, and the total return for the Dominion s"hould thus be <wer a million sterling per annum There wore in addition 683 acres of vineyards in the Do minion, which should yioW .£39,780 per annum Unoxploited 1 Markets. A better system of marketing was wanted, so that while the prices received hy tho grower would not,bo, reduced, fruit would bo cheapened to the consumer hew Zealand sent away last year JJIB2,fIOO for/ imported fruit, most of which could have been giown in the Dominion and ,£28,500 for lannqd and bottled fruit We imported 430,000 worth of apples and pears which we could readily grow ourselves To this nrast be added imported apneots, piiaclKs cherries, lemons, etc, about .£3OOO Thus thero iv as i39,C00 waiting to be canned by local growers. Imported canned and bottled fruit, .£28,500, plus 121 per cent ad valorem duty, mepnj; a further sam of Thus New Zealand growers and qanners had a reserve fund of X 74622 waiting to ho drawn upon The lopal markets, with proper organisation, could absorb vastly larger quintitieinhan were now available The English and European markets would always take really good apples and pears at rcmunoratno prices Good qualitj canned fruits also commanded a ready salo at Home That New Zealand produced canned fruite suiAblo for European markets was shown by the faet that our oannod and bottled fruits received tho highest awards at two of tho Boyal Horticultural Society's shows, and at the Jr'uico-Bntish E\hibibpn Trade in Australasian fruit was also'growing Germany, Canada, India, South Africa, and other countries The officers of tho Dopartmont would bo pleased to supply particulars'of the vanehes most approved Iμ the different markets and tho prices roahsed What the Government Will Do Tho Minister congratulated tho growers upon the atbtudo taken up b} them -with regard to the control of disoisps und pests There had been, a great Improvojriont in the fruit seen in the shops, auctions, and orohards The Department frequently received complaints that certain orchards had not beer visited, but it had bam their policy to hasten slowly Tho staff was admittedly small a,nd,the districts large Tot good work was bomg done, and they hoped to be able to do more at an early date They hoped to give 6ome assistance to tho export trade, tho development of canning fac- ] tones within reasonable distance of rail or water carnage, ami to co-operative experiments, I and to afford facilities for th> establishment of special fruit settlements In regard to co opcrativo experiments, the Minister said that the Dopartmont < was already having seeds tested in different loc-ihties, and such experi monts, owing to I heir widor scope, wcro more valuable than those carried on solely nt the experimental stations In tho proposed co operative fruit growing experiments, tho Department would supply fruit trees and manures, and would probably contribute some thing towards the labour reqnired Ho hoped also to bo able to assist in connection with shipping and co-operative methods and ho would gladly do anything within his power to further the interests of the fruitgrowing in dustry. Mr Mackenzie also delivered a message i from tho Prime Minister, who oppressed regret that he could hot bo present i , The Hon D Buddo also hnofh addressed l tho conference, and both Ministers were thanked for their attendance BUSINESS BEGUN Tho "New Zealand Farmer" was made the official organ conference Subsequently a committee was appointed to approach the Mfnister for Agncultu l e on the subject of a subsidy in aid of the printing of a report of the proceedings t jn pamphlet form The chairman moved "That the registration of all orchards o£ from one tree upwards should bei compulsory " i In the course of discussion, it was generally agreed that the "backyard orchard" was the most prohfi? source of disea«e, and the regis tration of every tree was advocated bj some speakers * i Mi ICvrk said this wonld bo a very helpful thing, if practicable, but tho present divisional staff was two small to cope with it The motion was c&rncd The chairman then moved "That all fruit should bo, sold under a registered brand, or the growers name" 'Mr Kirk pxplamed that at present the only f£ T, V f / c '??*-? tIOI J a ™ labl e vas that under the Trade Marks Act Delegates expressed a desire for registration facilities similar to thoso enjoyed by'sheep oTnors The Hon T Mackenzie said ho thought this could bo arranged for by legislation llio motion was carried in the followins form -"That all fruit sold in an ancbon S or any public place shall bear the grower^ dolfnoteV the MSt ° f tratlon It was resolved "That inspectors should ?«nnn« e kw J"" 1 . 100 " , areas, and ho responsible to headquarters m Wellington only ™<■ ? *v ft V th ? P?^ 0 ? of enforce imW, th ? P an j GarAen Disposes Act, members of fruitgrowers' associations bo asked to give inspectors, either directly or throUgli their secretaries, every information and assistv •VPS™? out their duties" Mr Kirk stated that tho inspectors were On reammng at 780 pm, Mr Smith t« ,i&™«r* r of the Government In £t t h * ? m T™b,tiov of German owlsls an antidote to the small bird pest The sPfk" £? ld $" J^ 1 nmsoncTwas very much /«lt in his It was not so much what the birds ate, as what they spoiled Tho German grey owl had been found to do excellent work fn the south, and bs aseoci"ura % I a %? n JP OVS to , Im r P° I I » and liberate them ■m HasW and Havelock AUhough the birds were already in (New Zealand, special legiela-' ion would have .to bo passed before any fur-' fchor birds could be brought into the Dominion I 5 s 'hey came under the head of carnivorous I birds rhe acolimitisation societies were op possd to the importation of tho owle on senh. mental gromids. iA ft ?, r a dncnseion, it was decided that the Government be requssted to allow the importation of the German owl ae an antidote to the small bird nuisance Messrs Smith and Izard were a-ppoan+ed n deputatioa to woat on the Acohmatisation Society Conference to day and lay the above matter before them Mr Lsard stated that Nelson growers had suffered from tho manner in which fruit is handled when ehipped The suggestion was that an improvement conld be effceted by ship prag fruit in cradles instead of m elrngs It v,as decided thai a deputation from the conference, togother with the president of tho Fruit Brokers' Association, should wait upon tho shipping companies "in, reference to tho abovo matter The deputation will alsb deal wirth the maitter of the non responsibility of tho shipping companies for pillage and decay Hf was decided that tL« Govermnent should bo approached, and asked to provide a euffi cient number of \oittilated cars for tho proper ciTrago of fruit A resolution was also earned to tho effect that the Government bo urgod Ito make provision so that all fnirt be give- (preference of dispatch ovor non perishablo goods It was resolved that the Government should be asked to amend tho Orchards and Garden l'ejts Act, to as to ancludo all thorn fences within five ohams of on orchard Tho conference will resume at 10 a m. to-day