WITEMATA FRUITGROWERS' ASSOCIATION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 101, 29 April 1910, Page 2

WITEMATA FRUITGROWERS' ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting ot the Waitemata. Fruitgrowers' Co-operative Society, Limited, -was held In the Hall of Commere© this afternoon, the President (Mr W. <_larmanj occupying the chair. There was a good attendance of shareholders. The fourth annual report stated that during the past season (up to March 31), cases of local fruit had been sold at the uepot, besides which several thousands of cases had been consigned to, other centres on behalf, of members; while generally the quantity of produce,' imported fruit, fruit trees, manures, spraying materials, implements, etc.. handled by the. society had shown a considerable increatse. The report went on to state that the present premises were now certainly far too s_ait, and the staff had been o_lged to work under stk;_ disadvantages that the growth of business had been seriously hampered. The rime was now ripe, contfnaed She report to secure an ap-to-d—te _rn*t market for the marketing of fruit under the best advantages would certainly enhance values and The outlay would be speedily renald. As to grading, some system should be Intro- : duced that would eventually he adopted •throughout New Zealand. The Railway Department had been frequently approached on the subject of providing means whereby soft fruits and perishable goods imight he [conveyed to Wellington with s_ftrty, and [doubtless that market would be recrpenat next season, and any further loss to growers prevented. A 10 .per cent dividend had been declared for the year. The interests of every mem(ber of the Society were identical, and instead of competing with one another they w-orked together as> co-partners to secure some control ov*r au industry that was of such vital importance to them. The report concluded by deploring —« la«k «f businesslike means oi distribution among or——rdists •tttroujrhout the Dominion. The lack of any system— or. rather, every grower work— k ind> vid.ua—y—bad a tendency to create grata. The balance-sheet showed that the receipts for year ending December 3t, 190 a amounted to £1604 ItVS, and the- expenditure to —1545 14/7. showing a profit of during 1909 exceeded 190S by over £6000 Ike accrued profits amounted to £423 IS/ The report and balance-sheet were adopted.

Mr Tonar, secretary and manager, in speaking of the Association's progress, said i 7« v V ad la »oured under considerable difficulties in getting matters on a satisfactory footing, but the society was now on Se high roud to success, and he saw no reason a-hy In a few years the vailne of fruit, produce, implements, etc. put throu«_ should not reach £30.000, or even £100 000 (Applause.) ' '

Election of Officers. — The president (Mr W. Cbarman), treasurer (Mr Alan Wilson), and secretary (Mr J. B. Tanar) were reelected. Mr J. Dickson and Mr J. S. Levesqne were elected to the committee.

it was resolved that the secretary write to the Northern Fruitgrowers' Council, asking them to devise some system- of gradhyT fruit, in view that the Dominion will, before long, enter into an export business, will make this question imperative. The qnestion of the carriage of soft fruits aud unperishable goods to Welling-' lon caused earnest discussion. A resolution ! being unanimously carried in favour of a recommendation to the Chamber of Commerce that the Minister for Railways be urgently reqnested to provide ad.eqnote | railage accommodation for such produce ' between Auckland and Wellington. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to I the manager and staff.

FHE STILL I-SCTUEES. | Blecker: "I understand your wife used jto lecture. Has she given it up since .you married .her?" Meeker: "Oh, _a; but ehe no longer ttartaw* is puMJft"- ' . ;,...... t „_-...,. ..