FRUIT-GROWING.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1524, 21 August 1912, Page 8

FRUIT-GROWING.

GROWERS' ANNUAL CONFERENCE. I' : • OPBNED BY THE-PEEMIER. GOVERNMENT WILL ASSIST TITE INDUSTRY. The annual conferenco of the ?\ T ow Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation va< commenced in 'tho lecture room of th( Dominion. Museum yesterday morning. ; The delegates present were:—Mr. A. Moore, president (Hawke's Bay), in the chair, Messrs. G. A. Stevens (Central Otago), J. C. Xcill, and Mr. Fosolln (Hoiwlienua), P. Sisson, J. Illin"worth and \V. Wray (Canterbury), W. Purvis A. H. Baile, A. "White, and E. Pnyntei (Hawke's Bay), J. A. Guy (Ngamoti), E Gubb (Port Albert), R. J. Moffatt ant •R. P. Hudson (Nelson), J. Tonar (Wai temata). The Prime Minister's Speech, Tie opening ceremony was performec by the Prime Minister (Hon. IV. F. Mas soy), who expressed his pleasure at beini afforded the opportunity of meeting th< members of such a. representative can Terence of an industry which was no« (and would be more so in the future one of the most important industries ii the Dominion. Although lie was nol a fruitgrowers himself ho knew something of the industry, and was convinced that tho apples of New Zealanc would compare with any in the world With regard to markets, lie did notthinl there would be any difficulty in th< future; Reports which had como to banc went to show that there were market; available not only in Britain but ir South America, and, nfc certain seasons in tho United States and Canada. Inquiries had recently been made for SO.OOC ■ cases of fruit to be forwarded, if post sible, to South America.. Tho industry in the Dominion was really only in it; infancy, and there was one thing to be borne in. mmd, and that was that land .which was not suitable for other purnoses was suitable for fruit-growing. Hf knew of one district where 200,000 young trees had been plajited last season,, ami he had information that it was intended to plant antether 200,000 this season. This gave him a great deal of pleasure, as he realised that every additional fruit tret planted added not only to tho prosperity of the district in which the tree 'was planted, but.to the wealth of the country generally. Referring to the matter of oc-operation, Mr. Massey said they had an object lesson in the dairying industry of what co-operation could do, and he thought the example should bo followed by those engaged in the fruit-grow-ing industry—(hear, hear)—where the results would, he. was sure, be equally good. The Government fully realised the importance to New Zealand of the fruit-growing industry and his personal experience of fruit-growers was that they were self-reliant men who did not rush to the Government for assistance unless they had ample reason. Anything the Government could do to assist the industry would be done willingly and cheerfully. (Applause.) Mr, Massey expressed the hope that the conference would benefit the industry and the Dominion as a whole. He had come round for tho purpose of showing his sympathy with the industry which, he thought, would bo a very great industry in the future. (Applause.) A vote of thanks was passed to Mr. -Mas9ey for opening the proceedings. Packing and Grading, A general discussion took'place on remits from Hawke's Bay, Nelson, and Tauranga dealing .with uniform packing and grading, and the South African market. . , Mr. Hudson, said the ill-efects of packing and grading fruit for export' had been brought under the notice of Nelson growers- It had been hinted to him that if the lack of uniformity in packing and grading continued it would' nlmost ruin the export trade to South America. Indirectly every-fruitgrower in New Zealand stood to be affected by every case of I fruit which left New Zealand, hence tho I necessity for care in grading, etc. Two I of their Nelson Associations had registered ■ under the Industrial Societies' Act. which | he thought was a step in the right direc- ■ turn. .Mr. Wray spoke strongly of the necesf?rirt"?;,Packing and grading. ! J-hey had to establish a good name or they I would be blackballed abroad, and the mdusfcry would suffer. Mr. Tonar thought the export trade was the most important matter for the fruitgrower at present. He urged that fruitgrowing sooieties should control the export trade and have a man at the port 01 slnpment to grade the fruit. Mr. F. Sisson said each man had different ideas of grading. The fruit in each centre should go through a central gradmg sxore.\ Mr. Moffatt agreed that centralisation was the keynote of the whole thing. There ?™JJK T,.*™ 1 c ' laMels for all cxnort iruit to go through. Mr. Kirk, head of the Orchards Division of the Agricultural Department, said the Government had no power to insist ITui®!! grading in ordinary cases, but the Department had offered and had supervised- tho grading on occasions and would do so agam if asked. iJTi. if n Tl?! 1 , that the Government be asked to establish a supervision of all ruture shipments for export as to erading and freedom from diseases, and that the cases be branded first or second grade brand C^S6 Government f™if* that eveTy case of truit that leaves -Sew Zealand should be graded and branded, the ideal being the system adopted at present with buttor and cheese. 'I/ 10 motion was carried unanimously. Mr. Guy moved that centres of grading and packing be established in tho various apple-growing districts of the Dominion, the grading to be done on similar lines to the butter industry. The moton lapsed for want of a seconder. Expansion of the Industry Discussed, Mr. Moffatt moved that the conference deal with the matter of federation, and with regard to the matter of raising funds ror tho expansion of the fruit-growing industry. Hi© motion was seconded by Mr. Purvis and carried. Tho chairman stated that tho Motueka Coniorence agreed that an intelligeuce bureau should be set up, but nothing had been done in this matter becauso they had no funds in hand. The late secretary had not called the executive together at all, and practically nothing had been done, during the year, except to prepare for the present conference. Tho Hawko'a Bay Association had thought it was not advisable to have a federation to oootrol New Zealand'markets, but if the conference could advance any ideas on tho subject, Hawke's Bay might bo prevailed upon to change its attitude. Mr. Moffatt remarked that the conferonce _ was a minority of the fruit-growers of New Zealand, but the others reaped the benefit of tho efforts of the minority without any expenditure, lie thought they should take the bull by the horns and force tho hands of the outsiders. "These mean boggars have derived benefits in the past without spending a pennv," added Mr. Moffatt, and he thought-these outsiders should be dragged in in spite of themselves and thus save them from themselves. Mr. Hudson said that without funds tho federation was nothing but a name. They should have funds and a paid secretary. If the contributions to tho federation were to be voluntary, -lie had no faith in it. If they could they should start collecting funds compulsorily and by law. Ue moved that in order to provide' funds for the. working of the federation in the interests of tho industry, the Government bo asked to make a levy per case on ail apples Mid pears commercially handled in tho Dominion, the same to be handed back in full to tho federation, Ires the cost of collection. It was, he said, an easy matter to collect a levy per ease on apples, and he thought tho Government should be asked to collect the lax and hand it over to tho federation. At present the fruitgrowers contributed nothing themselves, but went to the Government on their knees for assistance. The time had arrived when they should put the matter on a proper footing. Mr. Moffatt seconded the motion. The scheme should bo tried, and if it did not work it could be amended or thrown out. They ooultl nqt loss ta it, aad tliay. wight

NEWS AND NOTBS,

do a great deal of good. To his mind it was tho only way that tho question could be dealt with. -Air. Wrav said lie. was afraid that the levy per caso would scare growers off the federation. Mr. Sisson said ho was not in favour of a Government tax. The proposal would be opposed all through, and to his mind was wrong. Mr. Hudson said that tho system lie advocated had been proved in another ; industry he had been interested in, am. had brought it from the verge of bankruptcy to a flourishing industry. Mr. Ncill said they had no right, because they wanted more money, to forco other people to pay up for that object. Mr. Ivirk remarked on the huge incrc<i c c in tha area in fruit, and added that unless something was done in tho matter of con IMLe was trouble ahead. In t B i er P, TCr< s 28 ' 55t acrcs undeT orchard. In 1009 the area was 30,424 acres, an increase of 1870 ncres. In 1910 there was an increase of 1395 acres, bringing tho total 3 , 1 ,'" 69 ' , Tlle area ha<l risen to i?| m ' acreage at tho end of tho present year would be ri>proximately 35,967 acres, or an increase in five years of 7398 acres. Supposing thero were 1500 acres of apples, and say at the ond ot six years each tree vielded onlv a bushel, there would be 1,500,000 cases" to deal with. This showed the need of f-ome form of co-operation. Mr. Kirk proceeded to refer to the applo orders from South America which came to hand last season. 1 hreo of theso buyers were coming to \ew Zealand again this season, but thev could not deal retail. They must be able to secure agreements to l>ny i n big lots II we could not supply these buvers as thev wished, tho orders would go to Tasmania •or some part of Australia. Now, said Mr lurk, was the time to get Xew Zealand a footing on the South American market and some echemo of co-operation was imperafavc. Mr. Wray moved an amendment that the subject be deferred for 12 months, so that associations should be given an onporhmity of discussing it. The amendment was carried after a lengthy discussion. Erection of Cool Stores. On behalf of the Lower Moutere Association, Mr. Hudson moved that the Government be asked to advance money for «° f £( "° r f S f ° r Ul<J ****& ol fruit at the mam centres of production and distribution to legally constituted lr'™ Sro - ,1 7 ll ' S who undertake to pay interest and sinking fund. 1 he motion was seconded by Mr. Povnte.r and carried. ' Miscellaneous Matters. n' 1, 011 * Hle moHon 0f Mt - Moffat, that the conference again draw the attention of tho Government to the necessity for legalising a standard size oi bushel, and half-bushel cases for pears and apples at an early date, and that witii regard to pears and apples packed in other sized packages the net weight must besho\ui thereon, as recommended at the 1910 conference. ; i A brief discussion took place in regard to the auctioneers' petition that fruit should be carried on the railways to Te Aro Railway Station, Wellington, and it was decided to endorse tho petition and approach tho Minister for Railways in tho matter.

Kirk stated that tho Government ™ nwng„ Plans prepared of cool stores ■ llol< ; n , i()00 ra ses, and capable of extension. liiese plans would bo sent to fruitgrowers, who desired them. Plans of a canning factor;- witli a JOOO-ton oapacitv wore also to bo prepared. Tho question of the handling of fruit , wns referred to the executive oi the federation. A iong discission took place regarding tiio matter of uniform branding of cases for export, and it was decidcd that the conference recommend to all fruitgrowers that fruit for export and for the local market be branded uniformly throughout the Dominion—figures to bo used for size, and letters for quality. It una resolved to. ask tho Government to .reduce the railage charges recently imposed on fruit case material, and tho charge on canned fruit case material.' It was also decidcd to urge the Government to introduce a system of through hookin* for irnit by rail And steamer and to provide accommodation on express trains for the carriage of soft fruits. Messrs. Sisson, Tonar, White, Stevens, and Moffatt, and tho chairman were appointed a deputation to wait upon the Minister for Railways at 10 o'clock this morning, and lay the-above matters before him. The.conference rose at 6 p.m. until 10,30 this morning.