1.--12

XII

Fruit-production . Outside Markets. Geographically, New Zealand is particularly well situated as a fruitgrowing country, in being approximately seven days' transit nearer to the great North and South American markets than the other large fruit-producing centres of Australasia. South. America is a proved outlet, and considerable quantities of apples were exported to that country under favourable conditions and at good prices until shipments were cut off owing to the war. It is of the utmost importance that provision should be made for at least one steamer per month during the months of March, April, and May of next year to take the Cape Horn route to Europe, and call at South American ports with shipments of apples and other produce for which cool storage would not be a necessity. This market would probably supply sufficient outlet for the next few years, while developments in other directions are being fostered. Some years back a few shipments of apples were sent to London, but so long ago that a renewal of shipments to this market might be looked upon as practically a pioneer effort, and as such the Committee recommends that where shipping is available Government should offer a guarantee of Id. per pound on fruit shipped, as was done in former years. Local Transit. The question of local transit calls for serious consideration, as the industry is heavily handicapped in this direction. Continued efforts on the part of fruitgrowers to secure a proper system of through booking have failed, there being no apparent co-ordination between the Railway Department and the different steamer services, except where the fruit is consigned from a railway-station. This considerably militates against trade where transhipment is necessary, and your Committee recommends that the Railway Department should come to an arrangement with the shipping companies to ensure the through booking and proper forwarding of fruit consigned from a shipping-port to a destination to reach which railage is necessary. Again, the time occupied in transit by rail from the fruitgrowing centres to large towns in the North Island is in some cases so great as to prohibit trade altogether. For instance, it was stated to the Committee that fruit by rail from Hastings takes from four to five days to reach the Auckland market, a period out of all proportion to the distance travelled. The railway-trucks are quite unsuitable, and the Committee recommends that specially designed trucks should as soon as possible be made available. Your Committee is of opinion that the lack of transport facilities is to a great extent responsible for the difference between the price at which the fruit can be grown and that at which it is available to the public. Cheapening Fruit to the Consumer. A suggestion was made to the Committee by fruitgrowers that the Government should, commandeer all apples and pears at an. average of about Id. per pound at the orchard, retailing the fruit in case lots at about 2d. per pound. While this scheme would appear decidedly attractive, the Committee feels that there are considerable difficulties in the way of recommending its adoption. It is felt, however, that a revision of transport conditions would go a long way towards cheapening fruit. The freights on sea-borne fruit are now such that in many cases it does not pay to ship except at advanced prices. It is therefore recommended that Government pressure be brought to bear where it is apparent that freights are excessive, and that a complete system of co-ordinated transport be brought into operation at once. An Experimental Station. An appeal was made to your Committee for the establishment of an experimental station in the Nelson district, to be worked in conjunction with the Cawthron Trust. Such an institution would be of considerable value to a district so