FRUITGROWERS' WANTS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 209, 29 May 1920, Page 8

FRUITGROWERS' WANTS

THE GOVERNMENT GUARANTEE

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER

A conferenco of fruitgrowers has been sitting in Wellington recently, and yesterday members of tl«e conference waited on the Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Noswortliy) to make certain requests of him, 'l'liey asked the Government to give a guarantee of ono penny per pound for apples exported—this guarantee to be net to tho grower—and to give this guarantee for somo years alwail. It was represented that without this guarantee tho export trado in apples might collapse altogether, but with the guarantco thorn were hopes of developing a big industry. The spcond request was for the removal of the embargo on tho importation of Australian fruit trees, especially of stonp fruit treos. It was represented that them was no danger of bringing diseasos into the country from Australia, that the supply of trees from local nurseries was given only at an excessivo price, and that the supply of trees was short and the quality poor. Last of all, tlio delegation asked the Govcrnnibnt to give more sugar to the jam-making industry, and to housewives desiring to muko iani in the fruit season. ' • Mr. Nosworthv, in reply, said that ho could not give a definite reply to the request for a continuation of tlio penny a pound guarantee for some years. This matter ho would have to consider, and in tho meantime he could not commit himself. He was very pleased with .the results of the conference. In Mpin-* the industry the Government realised 'that they had a duty to do, and as Minister he asked them to be sure that there was organisation in the ranks of the growers such as would promote efficiency. The Government lmd put money into the industry' already, and it could not go on putting money into it unless the growers followed business methods. If they worked together, then thero'would be fiomething which the Government could back, and they could drqwnd on the Government doinpf everything possible to 'open new markets for thcm. v Ho was hopeful of getting on to the South American market next year. AVith regard to tlip importation of fruit trees from Australia, and tho suggested removal of tho embargo, he had received a deputation in Christchurch, on that subject, and lie had promised to give the matter consideration. He understood that the matter was one of urgency, if the trees were to bei available for planting, tins season, and he would keop this in mind. With regard to sugar supplies, the. Government- had been very successful in keoping un supplies and in kcopmg down prices. Ho could hold outMio hope thnt tiiere was going to be a supply of ™" : "' at anything like the prion at which it had been available up till the present, but ho believed that the price; would be reasonable compared with the price at winch Qugar was being sold .in othier countries. The allocation of sugar was a matter for the Prime Minister, as presidnnt of the Board of Trade, mid ho would pleasure in conveying the representations made to him to the Board of Trado and Mr. Massay- , „ „ , Nurserymen's Rep'Mentationj, ,

Dircctl.v after he had left this depuMr. Nosworthy received another deputation from the nurserymen. They asked (him that on no account should ho allow thu removal of the embargo 011 Australian fruit trees. They pointed out that there was, in their opinion, grave danger of bringing diseases into the country "bv tho importation of trees from aliroad, And tliey denied tho truth of nil the statements rondo by the fruitgrowers (is to Iho inadequacy of the sui'Plv ?' New Zealand-grown trees, and 11s to their allogcd bad quality. They admitted that there might be a shbrtago of cherry trees this season, for the reason that it hail been the custom to import the stock for the grafts of these treo3 from Fr.vm. and this business had been interrupted during the whole of the war period. In other trees thero would be littlo 01 110 could give only the samo reply ns he had given to tta growersthat lie would give tho matter considera. tioo.