FRUITGROWERS CONFER.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 16, 24 February 1914, Page 9

FRUITGROWERS CONFER.

■ SEVENTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE. Press Association. AUCKLAND, February 23. Fruitgrowers from all parts of the North Island attended the seventh annual conference of the New Zealand Association of Nurserymen which opened this morning. The president, Mr Alfred L. F. M'Donald, in opening the proceedings, observed that the Association had made progress all along the line, both the membership and the balance-sheet being satisfactory. On the subject of the formation of district councils in the various centres the president said that since the last conference a district council had been launched in Auckland to deal with purely local matters. There was no reason why there should not be councils in Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, Hastings, Napier, and New Plymouth or Wanganui. It would then be possible to hold interchangeable conferences. He suggested that the next, conference should be held in Palmerston North.

The executive's annual report stated that a net gain of five members during the year brought up the list of associated nurserymen in the Dominion to over eighty. Notwithstanding strong representations to the Government, proceeded the report, it had been found impossible during the year to get the necessary amendments made in the various Acts to enable, the registration of nurseries to be effected under the regulations mutually agreed upon with the Agricultural Department. Next year they hoped to see definite action taken in the matters of establishing a certificating board, standardising the names of fruits, establishing standard grades for trees (with a view to securing equal prices for equal values in nursery stock), and the setting up of local nurserymen's councils m all centres possible. The questions immediately concerning the executive were: (a) The cost of production in

relation to retail prices, and (b) tl < problem of the credit trade. The .conference proceeded to elect officers as follows: —Presideui, Mr "W. S. Johnson (Pousonby); vice-presi-dent, Mr G. J. Mackav; committee, Messrs I>. A. Hay, F. Bennett, W, V.'. Gliddon Richardson, E. Allan, and V. I. Lippiatt; honorary secretary r»n ! treasurer, Mr G. A. Green; auditor, Mr W. W. Gli<!don Richardson. The. district vice-presidents were re-elcctei!, with the addition of Messrs E. C. Gi' - bons (Christchurch), A. Thompson (Gisborue), J. Nimnio, G. Howden, and fc. Cousins (Otago). A long discussion followed on the subject of grading nursery stock upon a remit from the executive recommending the conference to adopt the American Nurserymen's Association's definition, varied as New Zealand condition.; demanded. In the course of the discussion it was suggstcd that the vice-presi-dents in the different districts ghoul ! be asked to give their views on the matter. Mr T. W. Kirk (Director o'i the Orchards Division of the Depar.'. ment of Agriculture), wiih ,ot.h(., speakers, strongly urged . €hat ■-thcr« : should be some system of grading tree;;. Mr D. A. Hay attributed the necessity for grading to the inferior trees sei. _ ■)ut by Australian nurserymen.

The conference decided to en dor. > the principle of grading, and formed ;, committee, with power to act, which w T ill communicate with lie v.iricr

centres and subsequently report \h recommendations.