THE FRUIT INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1649, 16 January 1913, Page 10

THE FRUIT INDUSTRY.

TWO FACTORIES STOP CANNING.; SHORTAGE OF LABOUR AND HIGH VVAUES.. :.; :: Fruitgrowing and auctioneering circles aro somewhat perturbed at present as'tho result of the closing down wr fruit linPs of-Messrs.. E. H.. Crease and' Co., Ltd., of Wellington, and tho Friniley Canning Co., .of Hastings, Hawkes Bay. ... Messrs. Crease and Co. ceased operations, in fruit at tho beginning of the present season, Und aro,now confining their business ".to. ,pther lines which' it embraces. ; Their esit frorii the .local imarkets has had i'.'a marked effect,, as there have /been largo quantities of stone fruit offering, both tho growers and: the auctioneers having. felt the .absence of the ;big' buyer; For tho tirab'being,'tho, public may possibly be able;to buy cheaper fruit on tho occasibns of market; gluts, but in due oourse things will 'doubtless -,4nd their olvn; level iiii .tiie quantity of fruit sent forward to 'the,, local ;.market,,'will',. only be euck as 'the" demand . warrants. ' _ • /Tlio position of the Frimley. Co. is; fairly fully explained in the following circu- ; lar,; dattd January 3, which has been .■issued' b.Ter/,..'the signature of i.the' maii}jiger;r'Mr. E. Basil-Jones— : : r ,"lt is -'with sincere regret that .' wo liavo to announce that owing to tho ' impossibility of securing sufficient and, ■ remnnerativo. 7 labour, we have.. been : - . compelled discontinue the, canning , of both dessert and pie,fruifs this sea-.-. , eon. -The labour . question is at the . .present moment a • serious consideratioii,, as affecting, every manufacturing .'. in 'the Dominion., The wages ~ paid to -tho .workers are now -50 per ;-.cent. higher than when we first.start- ;. .i/ed', in the. canning industry, ani the : .;./scarcity, of labour, in . the , case of -•young people at the'ages of from 16 . : ~to. ij!l years, is-most remarkable and: " '/ disconcerting. -.' Added, to that,'; the v ' •shortness bijliours'of work-.and thb ;• prohibitive/price wo are compelled to- ■ pay for ;working ; ,overtime/when the fruit season is m full has influenced us to this decision. . With 1 •. regard, to -the canning''of vegetables. . most'of this' work :is,dono by machin- . e'ry, arid' ; wb .-are", able" this season /to , . pack a fair quantity,' but 'not siiffi-' '".'dent to fill 'all'the requirementsof' tho Dominion. We/shall continne to '.'pack; ordinary . lines, ; such. .as.^ peas. : ;'tomatoes,'French beans, ■ jams, ■ ~; sauces, "spices,'-etc;i Inquiries made amongst, the directors .'of Messrs'. Crease and/Co. revealed, little ibeyond. a; stateinent that the '.company's fruit canning .had ibeen stopped, after a very, cafeful Cand/thorough- analysis,;of. ■the position.' I It'; is "understood, lowever, tKat'tlib position ;of tho company is.'someto, that .of. the Frimley^Co.,': cosb.o.fi labour having, iilirbaseil .without' ij'; .corresponding increase in' the returns.''Another, factor was that the. canmng-room 1 ■wtis other of the , ..buaiiiess;""" v'/' //', ''''* v':'' '" "