MOTUEKA.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1372, 24 February 1912, Page 14

MOTUEKA.

CHIEF FRUIT-GROWING DISTRICT OF NEW ZEALAND. HOW THE INDUSTRY BEGAN, KARLY SF/iTLLIIS' STRUGGLES. Motueka, one of the oldest and at present one of (he most thriving of the Nelson out-districts, claims additional importaiico owing to the fact that it is also the biggest fruit-grcwitig centre in New Zealand. H : is accessible from Nelson both by steamer and road, ami has a regular steamer srrvice with 'Wellington. It is the port of such flourishin.? fruit districts as Uiwaka, Ngalimoti, Upper and Lower Sfoutere, Tapawera, llolupiko, Orinoco, Stanley Brook, I'elcororo, and other places, while the great Moutcro Hills._ now being thrown open for apple-growing purposes, are right along its water frontage. The present population of the borough is 1220, but it is now fast increasing, and its future is regarded must favourably. The district was settled in the very early days by pioneers win came out about KM, under agreement with the New Zealand Land Company. In those times the land was densely covered with native bush, which was graduallr cleared, and the district then subdivided into allotments, ranging from 2a to 50 acres and upwards. Amongst (ho first, settlers to the district were:—Messrs. W. Douglas, T. Goodman, J. Holdoway, I'. \V. Thorn (who is said to have started (ho firs? butter factory in New Zealand), .f. flillctt, J. IS. Jordan, K. Knapp, .1. hitherlev, C. .1. Bartlott, H. Jlouatt, T. Goodall, T. Benseman. E. Fry, J. llickell. \V. I'nttie, 12. Rowling, W. Askew, D. Bate, Cook, H. Fry, \V. Jenkins,, Mrs. C. P. I'attie, and others. The soil of Motueka and district is exceptionally rich, very prolific, ami, as the place is also very healthy mid possesses some magnificent orchards, it is becoming more and more favoured by travellers and tourists. Further harbour developments are likely to add to its importance. Fruit and hops are the staple products, and through the courtesy of .Mr. l> .1 Moffati, tiie well-known fruit enthusiast of llotuoka. TiikWiimimos is enabled to publish' some interesting figures on fruit exported by boat from tlio port.

FRUIT SHIPMENTS. The first recorded shipment of fruit crcs lack to 1871, when Hie quantiiv exported equalled 3923 bushel ca"«. Fruit is usually sent away in cases, kegs, casks, buckets, sacks, and eases of canned fruits, and the numbers of bushels arc computed as iollow:— Iwo hal/-easos, or two buckets, each equal one b'/;hel case; one keg, two eases; cue sack, !/.ir cases; one cask, four cases; one caso H canned fruit, two cases. For the purpuses of comparison the various cases, .•asVs, etc., have been reduced to Imsnel easps. In 1883 the shipping export was 'Ml bushels, and in three years it had increased to 18.G7G cases. From lSo(> to 1891 there was a'great falling oil, caused by the codlin moth, which first commenced its ravages in the district in 1887, •md in that year the output was 5G39 cases, or only 92 cases more than in 1881. By 18111 the number had gone up to 0131, or 552 more than in 18S7, but 7185 fewer limn in 58813. In the next five years the fruitgrowers had began to grapple successfully with the pest, and by ISDG the output had made a gain of-250 per cent, on the 1891 returns, the numbers reading 15,172, which in the next quinquennial psriod had grown to 27,008 bushel cases lor 1001. In the next, five years the export more than doubled itself each' year, and in 190G the output read G9.01G bushel cases. These were very good figures, and the increase lias been practically maintained, the output for 1911 almost doubling that of 1900, _ the figures for last year being the magnificent total of 138,042 eases. l''or a period of twenty years,. from 1887, the export of fruit from the district was detrimentally affected by the moth, but with the introduction of arsenate of lead it was found tjhat the pest could .be conquered. ' : ;' rW: POTATOES AND HOPS, Like most towns and cities in New Zealand, Motueka has had its upa and downs, and for many years it was mostly downs. Up till 1871 potatogrowing was the prime industry. Tho hop business, with which Motueka is now so closely associated, was commenced in a small way in 1871, and by 1880 planting had considerably increased. The cost of growing hops is said to 1» fairly heavy (some say up to I'd. per pound), but tho returns in those days were remunerative.

THE HOP BOOM. Mohicka's great boom time, from a hop point of view, came in 1SR:), whoa, owing to a world-wide scarcity, tho price of hops to the growers touched 3s. per pound. Buyers were operating for six months before the picking of the crop, and the result was that the growers had the timo of their lives, to use a colloquial phrase. That year is still often spoken of by old Motueka residents. The fluctuations which are experienced in the hop market were plainly evidenced in the following year, when the price was only Gd. per pound, but in 18SG, in consequence of still further growing, they were practicallv unsaleable. Tlw output has decreased lately, with the result, combined with a general shortage, that this year Motueka and oilier growers are going to have a splendid season. Buyers were round early, and the crop having been almost bought up. prices are hardening at Is. 4d. per pound. With a good demand for its fruit, and splendid prices for hops, Motueka can face this year's future with considerable equanimity.