THE FRUIT TRADE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 203, 25 February 1914, Page 6

THE FRUIT TRADE.

A COMLNC. INDUSTRY. PUCK. AXD EX LUCY I! Kyi IK ED. )!y Telegraph-Press Association. Auckland, Monday. The probable cll'cct of the increasing cost of labor upon the fruit trade was forecasted by Mr. A. L. F. .McDonald in presiding oyer the annual conference, of the Xew Zealand Association of .Nurserymen held in Auckland this morning. "The fruit trade in Auckland has to face the labor problem, - ' he said. "All over the world the upward tendency of wages is making the cost of production greater, and 1 think that the nurstfymen of the Dominion will have to I consider whether they should not follow the example of other employers and place the extra cost on the public. At present we are trying to shoulder the burden ourselves, but I think it will bo. too great. It certainly will be if the demands asked at the present time are granted."

Mr. McDonald added that while Auckland and Christchureh were the only places where awards at present existed, other districts would probably be all'ccled shortly if the proposed Auckland .award were a favorable one for the men. | The natural consequence would be that hoards would be set up in oilier centres. In view of outside competition, especially from Australia, the matter was a serious one. ]f they stood on the same level they could hold their own, but competition from Australia met them unfairly. That opened up the question of a duty or some other proposition that would protect Xew Zealand nurserymen.

On tlie subject of packing and grading, the speaker observed that no doubt the want of experience in this branch of the business resulted in considerable | loss to many growers iu marketing their J fruit to obtain the best results. The f grading and packing should lie done at the wharf or railway siding, not by the growers, but by a professional packer. Reverting to the question, ot varieties, Mr. Dennett forecasted that some of I the New Zealand-raised seedling fruits, - ] especially blight-proof apples, must come to the fore. There was a great field for private or (lovernmcnt experimentalists, and carried out on practical lines many new varieties, not only more blight-resisting, but more suited to the climate, would be raised. Meantime they must plant what had been tested and proved. After mentioning that numerically the conference was the strongest ever 'held, Mr, .McDonald plunged into the prospects of the trade, declaring the outlook to be encouraging. He observed that iu view of the facts that the export fruit trade was still in its infancy, that in the past orchards had not been run on commercial lines, and that thousands of acres suitable for fruitgrowing were lying idle, it was very difficult indeed to gauge the potentialities of the industry, particularly of the export trade. With the opening up of the Panama Canal, eight or ten markets on the eastern side of the States at present closed to the trade would be opened, while London would be brought nearer to their doors. Another considerable market in .South America was growing rapidly. "We hear a good deal of croaking about the phinting of fruit trees being overdone and the industry being ruined by over-planting, but I am not in sympathy wit Ii that at all," declared the president. "1 have not the slightest doubt that the industry is just simply in its initial stages, and it is only waiting for the same unergy and pluck that has been put into' the butter and cheese industry to ■ make it as great a success."