AUCKLAND FRUITGROWERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 135, 9 June 1926, Page 8

AUCKLAND FRUITGROWERS.

TENTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE.

The tenth annual conference of Auckland fruitgrowers was held to-day. Mr. H. S. Izard, Auckland director on the New Zealand Federation of Fruitgrowers, presided. There were present the following representatives and delegates from the district associations: Messrs. J. Blair Mason (Avalon), S. W. House (Provincial Council), C. Scott, W. R. Knight and G. A. Green (citrus growers), H. Paltridge, W. Williams, F. Pickering and A. Schram (Henderson), G. T. W. Green, W. J. Rodger, J. S. Triggs, J. A. Lambdon and R. F. Bull (Huapai), H. R. Becroft (Port Albert), F. C. Armstrong (Rosedale), J. H. Davidson (TauTanga), C. Ballantine A. Napier (Te Kauwhata), F. J. Causley (Thames), A. Clapham (Whangarei), T. R. Sisson, C. J. Angus and F, (Oratia), and C. R. Reader (Mangere).

The election of officers resulted! Director, Mr. H. S. Izard; district representatives, Messrs. E. R. Becroft (Whangarei), S. W. House (Hamilton), J. H. Davidson (Thames), W. J. Rodger, F. Firth and H. Paltridge (Auckland area). Mr. izard urged growers to unite in a strong movement for the elimination of poor quality fruit from the market. The only way to do that, he contended, was by local control.

Unanimous votes of thanks were passed to Messrs. Izard and W. H. Rice for their services in • connection with the export of fruit from the port of Auckland. Special appreciation was expressed of the work of Mr. Rice during the first year of hie appointment as organiser in the Auckland, district. A hundred and five remits, which Vill be considered at the annual Dominion conference of fruitgrowers on June 30, were placed before the conference.

Regarding local markets and advertising, two remits urged that, in view of the number of young orchards now corning into bearing, the federation take up the matter of advertising, with a view to increasing the consumption of apples in the Dominion; further, that compulsory standardisation be adopted for local markets, and that all fruit below a specified grade be eliminated from Bale in the open markets. The Auckland Fruitgrowers' Council, Ltd., in the annual report of its president, states that it collected £350 last year for advertising, as a result of a case levy. Good results were obtained, but it was considered that a different method would have to be adopted in the future. The summer advertising had the etfoct of increasing the consumption of fruit, but there was at present a large quantity (123,000 cases of apples and 20,000 cases of pears) in cool store in Auckland.