ENCOURAGING REPORT

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 52, 24 May 1927, Page 13

ENCOURAGING REPORT

FRUITGROWERS MEET PROVINCIAL INDUSTRY The Auckland provincial conference of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation, Ltd., was held in the Employers’ Association rooms to-day. Mr. H. S. Izard was in the chair. The directors’ eleventh annual report and balance-sheet to be presented at the annual conference to be held in Wellington on June 8 next was discussed. It recorded an increase in the federation’s business in 1926. The sales for 1926 amounted to £56,917 7s lid* as against £44,338 5s lid in 1925. The year’s operations resulted in a net profit of £3,184 0s Bd.

The trading operations in the past have been hampered by lack of finance, but a few more good years like the past year should dispel that difficulty. The Minister of Agriculture has given an undertaking that the question of an orchard tax will be considered next session. The new Act will provide for a tax of 5s an acre on areas of more than 120 trees.

The arrangement of the previous year whereby the federation undertook to do all the shipping work in connection with the Export Board has been continued for 1927. Advisory committees have been formed in Nelson, Hawke’s Bay and Auckland and have been found to be of great value in making necessary export arrangements and putting forward the views of the province on all matters affecting the industry.

The Auckland director on the federation, Mr. H. S. Izard, was re-elected. The delegates to the Dominion conference were elected as follow: —Thames, Mr. S. W. House; Hamilton, Mr. C. Ballantyne; Whangarei, Mr. E. Roy Becroft; Auckland, Messrs. W. J. Rodger, F. Firth, H. Paltridge. Mr. Izard gave a report of the operations of the Advisory Committee. The great difficulty had been obtaining shipping. The volume of the. export trade had been a surprise. The Advisory Committee, consisting of Messrs. H. S. Izard, chairman, C. Ballantyne, F. Firth, W. J. Rodger and E. Roy Becroft, were re-elected as a body. A list of remits to the Dominion conference numbering 119 were discussed.

The Auckland Provincial Fruitgrowers’ Council held its annual meeting to-day before the provincial conference. The report outlined the policy of the council toward more co-operative advertising and amendment of the Control Act. It was expected that growers would obtain some valuable assistance from the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Though prices were low and the local market congested, the amount of fruit export had taken a gratifying jump. The report was adopted. Messrs. Angus, Becroft and Paltridge were re-elected to the executive committee.

The executive then met. Mr. S. W. House was elected president; Mr. IT. Paltridge, vice-president, and Mr. Geo. A. Green secretary.

It was decided to make a levy of Is a member of each affiliated association.