NELSON NEWS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 126, 25 November 1930, Page 7

NELSON NEWS

HANDLING OF FBUIT

DIRECT LOADING DISCUSSED

(From Our Own Correspondent.) KELSON, 24th November. Tor the first time- in many months the district has received the benefit o£ a really; "good" rain. Previously tha country was beginning to show signs of the continued dry weather, there being a serious shortage of feed in many, localities. However, this should now bo remedied, as the grass will respond at once to tho abundance of moistura received. , Growing crops of all kinds will receive incalculable benefit, especially recently planted tomato and tobacco plants. Tomatoes, of course, had been planted for several weeks, but, owing to lack of moisture little growtJi had been made. Tobacco plants- had not been planted out to any great extent, growers in many cases being short of plants 'and unwilling to risk' their meagre supply under such unfavourable eonditiqns. However, this is now changed, and hundreds of thousands of plants will be put out during the next few weeks, conditions for planting being perfect Except in favoured localities crops of early potatoes are just approaching the flowering stage, and the rain will make all the difference to the yield. On Saturday the Wakafcu senior eric- - ket team gained a lead of 5 runs over College in tho first, innings of a.chainEionship match. Wakatu mode 13(3, -angbein (32), Marshall (27), and M'llraith (24) being tho top scorers. For College, Louisson took five wicket* for 31 runs. College, made ]31, Karsten (62) being tho chief contributor to tho total. M'llraith took four wickets for 35 and Glovor two for 14. Old Boys played Old Boys' Colts. The- Colts had the whole afternoon in the field, whilo the A team scored, 280 for seven wickets—Neale 54, Dalglish 26, Alexander 51, Buseh 87, and Blin«oo 2S. M'Kay took three wickets for 7(3 and Chatterton two for 33. The motor-ship Capo York arrived from Pacific Coast ports on Sunday morning, with 1200 tons of cargo,' mainly case shooks, for discharge here. Among tho remits on the order paper considered by the conference of Nelson fruit exporters was the following from the Hills Union:—-"That negotiations be opened up immediately to ensuro for the 1931 season a full measure of direct shipments from Nelson to (1) the United Kingdom, and (2) Continent, "and that loadings be restricted to suitable ships." Mr. A. J. Nottage, in moving the motion, said it was 'the greatest opportunity the board had to decrease the cost of shipments. If one-tenth of tho money being spent on the railway was | spent on improving the harbour it would be a greater asset to the district. He urged that every effort Bhould be mad© to provide better facilities for the shipment of fruit. Mr. Chisuall seconded. the motion. Mr. J. Dicker, chairman of the Advisory Committee, detailed what the committee had done in conference with the Harbour Board in getting belter facilities. It should be the aim of growers, ho said, to obtain, a deep-Sea port. With the water and berthage, cool stores would follow. Mr./ Brunt said that evidently judging from his address at the Bluffs sheds on Thursday,, Mr. Brown had come back from Home not in favour of direct loading from Nelson. What then was the use of passing the remit? He (the speaker) contended that harbour improvement was essential to tho development of the industry. Mr. A. Brown said that in his district it was considered that direct shipment aa now being conducted was not altogether the best. One grower got" away .6000 cases in one boat. It' direct' loading was to come, then the pooling system should be introduced. Mr. J. L. Brown, chairman of the Control Board, said that he was speaking as such in his address at the Bluffs,' and was not thinking of his position as a member of tha Harbour Board. He did not say that Nelson loading was no good, but that nnder the present conditions of holding fruit here there was a loss of two ■ or three weeks in delivery and that , was responsible for loss of money to' growers. Until the harbour was put in. a condition to make it a semi-final port of call it was not a good "proposition. In spite of growers saving 9d a case on. Eruit shipped direct, they lost in somo at the ships 2s to 4s a case. The harbour to be put in anything like condi- ■ tion to handle the Nelson crop would , need to load foiir or five ships at a time. ■ "Can you concede this?" lie • isked. ' (Voices: "No.") "I am assuredly of opinion," he continued, "that until we get the harbour in that. sondition. we are losing money. I said , it the Bluffs that something like aiuefcenths of our fruit was loaded iusido nine weeks; I was not then making a iefinite statement, but I have- sinea » ascertained that the figures are seven;ighths. As quantities continue to growthat seven-eighths is going to become a large quantity to load in Nelson Harbour, and if that quantity of fruit is to "be delayed we will lose money." In jpite of Mr. Brown's remarks, the growera decided to support tho remit to encourage direct loading.