FRUIT EXPORT TRADE.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11562, 20 April 1903, Page 6

FRUIT EXPORT TRADE.

AX INTERESTING ADDRESS.

About forty members of the Girrterbury Fruitgrowers* Association were, present at ;. meeting hold at tlie Canterbury Hall on Saturday evening, when Mr 1.. B. Hubbard delivered an address on the subject of colonial amalgamation, with a view to larger export, and to the general advantage of the industry. Mr E. Wilkinson na*. in the chair. Fruit could be shipped from New Zealand, the lecturer .tated, with as little risk as meat or butter, or any other perishable article. If amalgamation were effected among the growers in the different provinces, there, wa.s no reason why New Zealand >hould not be able to ship fruit nextyear on the same methods as prevailed in Tasmania, whose apple trade had of recent years increased enormously. Tho small growers might be assisted by a Government, guarantee, say, of a penny a pound. Lf fruit could be shipped by the ton, producers should have no difficulty in realising lid a pound, which would br very satisfactory. Amalgamation might be followed by iht! establishment of a cenTral market in each province, through which ail the growers could sell, and where the fruit could be graded and pold according to quality. The combined fruitgrowers could employ their own agent and auctioneer, and chemicals; could be procured in large quantities and sold at cheap prices To the producers. The requirements of outside countries could be ascertained, as there, were many of them which would* receive. New Zealand fruit gladly.

-Mr H. (r. Ell, CH'.H.R.. stated that while not' prepared to commit himself to Mr Hubbard's scheme implicitly, ho was in favour of any .ea&onable proposal to extend thf colony*. export operation..-, and in this matter the Government should help. He Lad always felt surprised to see, so much splendid fruit rotting under tho trees here. Tho establishment of a central depot would create a new market, without interfering at all with tho present counter stiles. Tlio development of tlie fruit industry was advisable, to combat the increasing tendency of population to drift into the towns, and it was rendered more important by the inability of this country ever to manufacture pucoestsfttliy for the foreign trade. Once confidence was established in the markets, and a, careful system of grading was inauj.ur.xted, the fruit preserving industry could be placed on a, sound footing in New Zealand.

The Chairman stated that in answer to a.i application made by the Association for a Government guarantee of a penny a pound on a shipment of apples, a telegram had been received as follows:—"Regret Cabinet declines guarantee for -export of apple- 1 ?."

Mr Ell urged that when the House met, delegates from tho Association should bo sent to Wellington, with the object of arranging a Conference, if possible, for tho discussion of the question of export generally. Mr J. C. Blackmore, Government Pomologiet. stated that a provision dealing with the grading of fruit- would probably be. included, at the instigation of the Agricultural Department, in the Orchards and Garden Peats Bill. He thought Mr Hubbard's suggestions were undoubtedly well worth thinking about, but in his opinion they were scarcely far-reaching enough. What was necessary was co-operation among producers in the distribution of fruit, ar.d utilisation of the surplus. The latter should lie devoted to the establishment of canning and preserving works, and to the provision, if necessary, of requisites for the cider-making. Without doubt the proper development of fruit preserving, carried on in accordance with rigtit methods, would assist the grower considerably in the disposal of his fruit. The effect of the canning industry in California was mentioned as evidence of this. The combination into a company of small fruit growers in the Motueka. district, foT the purpose of pulping and distributing raspberries, had already achieved results sufiicient to show that, under proper mnnagemsnt, good fruit would quickly find a remunerative market abroad. The best quality should be Pent to South Africa and other* countries, and the second grade could be made use of for preserving. He doubted the practicability of Mr Hubbard's suggestion, that all the Associations should be induced to amalgamate, so as to sell their fruit through one person. A hearty vote of thanks 'was accorded to Mr Hubbard for his address, and the committee was instructed to take the subject into consideration. It was mentioned at the meeting that the representative of a Hamburg firm had written from Sydney to Mr F. Wilding, of Chriistchurch, asking whether regular shipments of apples, of a sound quality, could bo sent, to that city. He stated that his firm was prepared to receive, any quantity of them. The secretary of the Association, to whom the. letter was referred, has replied, givitig every information possible.