THE FRUIT INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2532, 5 August 1915, Page 8

THE FRUIT INDUSTRY

CROWERS CONFER. UNITY OF'ACTION SOUGHT. conference of' tho-New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation opened in .Wellington , yesterday, about forty dele- . gates' attending. Tho {Mayor (Sir. 3 ■ 11.l 1 . Luke) tendered a civic, reception to tho members m-the Mayor's room in . tho morning. v. - ; Mr:-' F:vfc>. . Pope, Secretary of Agriculture;.'' acted 1 as the . Government - representative at-the official opening cereabsence of the 'Prime Mm-. - ■■' ister!'He 'saidSthat; t'bey adopt. V the-attitiido of-the Fariners' Union ; , rind ■do .things'themselves. ■ To.his mind the ■ organisation and work oi their own federation' was'of 'xlie faret - importance/ •••>.They-had to 'realise,'-however, ' that tho fruit-growing indiistry..\vas''not' yet one of the large industries.:: He'Mwas; - assured; however, that in .time' it;'Woiild : be one ot>- tho ■ most ; important, and 1. would; brih'g a-gi'eat'deal of money into tho Dominion. (Applause.) ■ ■.v. Annual Report. ; Tlie.- annual: 'report; showed .that • the % past,/iseason had not been so good as tho previous one, both 'with regard to . prices and crops. Tlie war had caused . ; an upsetting ,of prices, but even with tho prices now'ruling the' industry' v.'gulu'advance if earned along on sound •\ lines. ; Since the formation of the Fed- ; eration they, had grown- in, strength, - and bad been- successful,in getting .the Government to. feend. a representative • •to South America to report on the markets 'there.; The'increased; area under cultivation rendered it necessary to get tho export trade under proper organ- ' - isation at the earliest, moment. The balance-sheet showed that the Federation was ui a 6ound- financial position. In moving the adoption.' ofthe report . and balance-sheet, • the' chairman, gave ' : a, summary of the work of.'the executive . during the. past. year. They thought thoy had arrived, he said,;, at a working basis'iu their constitution. It would . bo necessary, for all , the orchardists of ■ tho Dominion,. to ;consent -to.".that .'cop-.-':;stitatwn;'if''it::was to; he properly; car-; i'■ ried -out..''Tlfey' proposed to hold- a - grandinatural apple.show in 1916,t0' bo held annually thereafter.,;.,.,. ;■ The;report- and balance-sheet were adopted. A lengthy order paper was then .cott-; :', sidered, and the first .motion carried 1 was: ■'.That'this conference again affirm - tho principle of Is. per acre registration .fee. .J " Importing Diseasad Trees.

• Mr.'Davidson.- (Central Otago).moved: ''llatttfie'DepartmentVof Agriculture;' : Industries, awl be. aekod -if , a'consignment of trees ,;with -root-knot. was allowed - to • bo -imported into /he - Dominion,. contrary..to tlie regulations?."; W.; Kirk said.'that ift the .in-. ' spcctor had ; passed ■ seriously diseased ; trees he would have to be dealt with. ;. The matter was still under mvosti£a- ■ , tion. . tt. The motion was carried on the voices. A lengthy report was presented to the .'-'.'conference, on; tlie. : . fruit markets and . fruitrgroiving ' ili jSoutli , America,' compiled 'by' Mr. G.'l/.' Tacon, • tho' Government- . representative sent to South America?..'lt-was decided to defer, criti-. ■ cism till latere v ; : Air.- J.'H. Archer (Canterbury) moved: ■"That tie Government be asked to con- • tinue tho. guarantee of Id. per lb', on ' Experimental slupm-sats of fruit." —Carried. ' ; .' : A genoral discussion, took place regarding shipments 6f fruit. to tho Pacific Coast.' of North! 'America, and it •was urge'd' that these; should be continued. Tho matters'was referred - to the . incoming executive. . ?.'■ It was resolved that the executive - : should bring before shipping companies the. necessity for Uhips ■ being equipped .. with thermometers, and proper . space and It' was also resolved that the Government should be' requested to standardise, all - .fruit cases.-- i A committee r was appointed to.investigate the-matter. Mr. Allen (Nelson) also moved a resolution requesting the Government to

makd the standard bushel case for apples for export compulsory during tlie 1916 season; and for. the local trade for 1017. The motion : was carried. . Somei discussion took place on the proposal that the number of fruit contained should bo marked on' all export cases, and it' was pointed out that the Argentine buyers were desirous of t'his. It was finally'agreed to Tecommend tliafc the numbering ..of tho fruit should be compulsory in tlie case of export consignments of apples and pears. It was further decided to recommend growers to adopt tie system for local markets. It' was resolved that tlio brands on secondhand cases should be defaced.

v South American Complaints. Mr E. H Beeioft (Port Albert) moved:' "That all fruit for export be i'nspectedVih. •■the' district. where it. is packed;" ,Y ; : , : Mr. T. W. Kirk explained that' the 'first difficulty,was*tlio number,of officers*-. Next season's fruit would have to come to-some shed where'lio one would have,-control of it .but- the inspector,, or | someone responsible to him. A good deal I of''fi'uit bad- gone to South America whicli-'liad'not.been honestly packed, and j.lie did riot'caro" to risk the good namo of tlie trade by further grading in tho orchard. The' .president said that the conference appreciated Mr. Kirk's strong remarks. The good name of New Zeaf land fruit had to; be guarded by all possible means. • v \ The motion was withdrawn when it' was pointed out that Port Albert fruit could -bo graded at Auckland instead of Wellington. An address on pruning the apple by. Mr. W: J- Courtier concluded tfie: business for the day. . The conference resumes to-day. '

■At the Addington saleyards yesterday the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company sold on account of Mr. W. H. Gaisford, Oringi, 49 fat wethers'at 3os. cach. > ' So far there has only been a Eligh't ad vance on the prices of the famous Victor Cheese Vats, and factories are now ordering in view of a possible further increase: Various causes will shortly greatly increase the cost, but orders received, now will be delivered in rotation and at presentprices; - Albert J. Parton, ' Carterton.—Advt.;

Never has the demand for clear-headed constructive thinking in business been so urgent as it is right bow. We are living in a progressive age, and must take advantgao of all up'-to-dalte methods. It is in.savings from waste ;of any description that money, is made to-day, and by concentrating one's efforts on all details of our business we claim to be able to ■prodiioe'; results'for our many cream sup-' ipliers^/We.want more cream. Cannon supply us? Further particulars, Wa'nga 1 nui Fresh Food Co.—Advt.