IN MEMORIAM TABLET TO THE LATE TROOPER TARRANT.

Motueka Star, Volume I, Issue 14, 27 September 1901, Page 3

IN MEMORIAM TABLET TO THE LATE TROOPER TARRANT.

We clip the following from the Coromandel News of the 1 7th September. Our readers will remember that the late Trooper L. M. Tarrant who -was the third son of Mr H. A. Tan-ant of this district, left Coromandel where he was engaged in mining pursuits, with the Fii-st Contingent, and that he died at Pretoria from enteric fever , On Sunday last the Coromandel Rifles, headed by five veterans and the Town Band, marched from the Drill Hall to the Christ Church, to be present at the ceremony of unveiling and dedicating the Tablet to the Memory of Trooper L. M. Tarrant a former member of the corps, who died in Pretoria, South Africa, on April 15th, 1900, while on active service. There was nearly forty men in the march, under Capt. Kenrick and Lieut. Ihder. The band was under Mr E. Collier. In addition to the volunteers there was a large assemblage ot civilians, the seating accommodation in the church being taxed to its utmost capacity. The Tablet is of polished brass, and is suitably inscribed.

The dedication ceremony was performed by the Vicar (Rev. C, F. R. Harrison), who also preached an In Memorian sermon, t iking as his texts Psalm cxll, 6. and Malachi 111, 16.

Special prayers and hymns were used; and the choir rendered the Anthem " Blessed Are The Dead." the solo being taken by Miss Callaway. A verse of the National Anthem was rendered, and at the close Trooper Tarrant's favorite hymn was sung. The services throughout were of an impressive character, and the large attendance was strong testimony of the esteem in which Trooper Tarrant was held.

MEETING OF FRUIT GROWERS

Owing fact that the meeting called by Mr Batt, of Nelson, had not been advertised, there was a poor attendance at the Church of England schoool room. Some fifteen persons ■were present,

The chair was taken by Mr Thomas Pattie -who, in an excellent opening address stated that they had met there to consider an important question. Fruit growing was one of the principal industries in the Nelson district, and if the settlers failed to make it pay it would be a serious matter for the locality, as cheese and butter was to Taranaki, cereals and frozen meat to Canterbury and Otago, so was Nelson the centre of fruit and hop culture ; in fact one third of the land in Nelson was devoted to the industries mentioned. In the past, anyone planting an orchard was considered off his head"; now the order of things had changed and more land was being devoted to fruit culture. It was to their interest to nurse "the industsy, which would in future become an important one. Mr Batt, who represented the Nelson growers, was a prctical orchadist, and he had ccme to the meeting to explain the objects of the Union the}' intended to establish in the district.

Mr Batt said he was pleased to meet those present. He would make a few remarks on co-operation, and its application to fruit growers ; they did not realise the value of co-operation. He instanced the spread of unionism all over the world, and the number of trades unions in the Colony. Co-ope-ration had passed the experimental stage. By co-operation, the fruit growers of Roxburgh, who entered into an agreement some five years ago, found that by so doing they had increased their individuali ncomes by 25 to 30 per cent. The people of Auckland were also beginning to see the value of it. After relating a New Zealand fruit grower's observations in California and other parts of the United States, Mr Batt said the Nelson growers had come to the conclusion that through want of organisation the* markets were frequently glutted, causing serious losses to the growers. They had met together and decided to form a Uj.uoii on a self supporeing basis. They proposed to appoit a firm iu each centre, who would set apart rooms for the sale of the Union's fruit privately, or by public auction. The}- proposed to have daily reports as to the state of the market, so that growers would be guided in their selection of a suitable destination for their products. They had already received offers from fiirms in Wellington and Auckland to act as agents for the Union and no doubt arrangements would be made with firms in other centres of N.Z. The only payment demanded was 2s 6d, which constituted the entrance fee. In further explanation of the objects of the Union, the speaker said the suggested grading os fruit wotdd have the effect of raising the prices : fraudulent packing, such as placing good fruit above and below and inferior in the middle, when discovered would be reported to the Secretary, and the person so offending fined. Mr Batt also referred to minor details of the scheme, and said it was proposed to submit to a meeting of delegates the constitution and rules for their consideration ; he trusted the growers in this part of Nelson would appoint delegates to represent them at the Conference to be held shortly. The scheme was worth a trial, and in the event of failure they could not be worse off than they are now. In conclusion, the speaker said that some people objected to concentration as applied to fruit selling, but he would point out that the fruit was always sold, and the fact of the whole of

the Union's fruit being in" the hands of our firm, instead of half a dozen, would make no difference. Moreover the competition which now prevailed affected the fruit grower's pocket. He said there were great possibilities for the fruit industry in Nelosn, but not without co-operation. As regards climate and soil we were all fours with Tasmania, where the industry had assumed enormous proportions. During the delivery of his speech, Mr Batt was listened to with close attention by those present, and afterwards accorded a hearty vote of thanks. In reply to Mr P. Moffatt, Mr Bate said members of the Union would be allowed to sell privately in their own district but they could not submit their fruit to auction in any place where the Union had agents. This was a stringent rule, which his hearers would see necessary. In reply to Mr Huffam, Mr Batt said the Union brand which was to be registei-ed couid not be used privately. He also said in answer to a question that the Union's agents would not be prohibited from selling fruit etc., for others. Mr H. Holy oak e said he did not think the scheme would work unless the Union sent its fruit to all the auctioneers in a town.

Mr R. J. Trewavas,believed in having only one agent in each centre ; B they would then obtain better prices, because there would be less competition on the part of the consignees. Mr W. J. Moffatt urged those present to become members of the proposed Union. There was nothing to be lost, and everything to gain, by combination.

The Chairman proposed that a committee consisting of Messrs F. W. Huffam, E. W. James, R. J. Trewavas, Banfield and the mover, lie formed with power to add to their number and that another meeting be called for Tuesday evening, a notifcation to be inserted in the Motueka Star. A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the meeting.