CORRESPONDENCE.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12443, 5 March 1906, Page 4

CORRESPONDENCE.

DEAR FRUIT. TO TUB MWTO* Of "TH* TWKSS* Sir, —A short time back a letter apaekdine and ■ over the signetore "Medico," which, unsupported, would' have done no harm, but backed by you the case assumes a different aspect: I may say at once that I quite agree with the idea that fruit, amongst othsr, things, could, and should, be supplied to the public at a cheap rate, but differ from you as to the means of bringing about that result, and also ac to what constitutes "cheapness." "Medico" advocates importing Chinese to run the fruit tueineee. Well, if it takes a Chow to lower the present prices and exist, it doesn't seem to mc that the white retailor ie on, the high road to fortune. And is the yellow gentleman cheap at any priceP Are the-niggers cheap to America, or the alien scum lo London? Notwithstanding "Medico's." sneer; about a well-worked scarej what about people living in glass houeesP I am of opinion that everyone interested in grapes, grower, seller, or buyer, shouSd do their utmost to keep, phylloxera out oF the country. You also, in the, kindness of your heart, say "Let it come/ "Would you advocatiP , bringing sheep from a scab-infested country to" lower the price of mutton, or ticky cattle for cheap beef and leather, or sowing dirty seeds for cheap crops? Yet you could doubtless get any of these things cheap. To meet people phylloxera, is but.a name. To givo eomo idea ac to what it meane to.the rvinegrower, Mr Thompson a recognised authority, t>ays: —"The only remedy that has yet been discovered for tho dreadful pest is to root out the affected vines, removeell the soil they grew in. paint all woodwork and lime white all the stone or brickwork with hot lime; then make up new borders and plant fresh vines." That the Australian firms have ceased to do basinees here ■doesn'fc surely indicate that there is a large profit to • the grower : -in. our market, and as to the expert's opinion about the quality.cf fruit 6old,that & sheer nonsenee, at least as far as GbTlstchurch is concerned. If the. fruit is so bad and'the profits co great, surely a little duty will not keep the Australian from ins; don't we send them potatoes eometimes under similar circumstances? There ie a maxim in fruit culture "that as you prune the branches co must you attend to the r00t5."..; So far it is only the .branches, that propose to tinker with, and that in a short tsme tvM practically kiM the tree, but if you at the same time cut away tho tap-root, the private landlord, you will get cheap fruit amonget other things. Go for the man who takes the profit and does nothing in return for it.—Yours, etc., — ' ■ ■ "•■■: : ' ' '*.X»

TO THE EDITOR. OF "THE TRESS." ! Sirj—That fresh fruit fit present prices is too dear, for general ©onsamp- j tion *s en article «f food, as it should be, is quite- true. 1 But then, unfortunately, so is whisky. But it would be a bold man judt now who wonldraavocate a remission of the duty oil the latter; yet to do this ; would* probably be a smaller evil than the aoolition ofthe duty on frceh fruit. In the oafie ;of fruit, there would be tho destruction of a promising industry, while in the other the amount lost by the Customs Department would likely bo made up by the Department of Joitice, through fines in the Police Courte, the 'amount of revenue remaining the earoe. ; Speaking seriously, I do not" think it - desirable that fruits that can be grown I hero should be admitted free, though ! for business reasons it would suit mc to j seethe duties wiwd cjean out. , ■•' To my mind, there ie * very much ; larger question involved-than the imj mediate eupply of freeh fruit at cheap * rates. Every endeavour should beI n.ede, even at the expose of temporary inconvenience, to inanoe our people to , ' take up rural callings. It fe easy ac Australia has found, to get. towndweliere, but not so «*sy to increes*,tn*, . number of primary producer*. Even;. 1 orchard planted means an extra family, tech unit of which is .c chunk «f granite in the base of our national structure. The strength of. every ,| nation has always been dependent upon J those engaged in xunaj industries. ~ Un-* Ilike dairying, or even ordinary farm-ing-fruit-growing has the disadvantage of taking several years before. ihcfr.kf. 1 a return on the capital and labour exIpended; and from necessity most of those going on the land have chosen the calling that afforded the quickest return. But there k a steady expansion going on, and in time New Zealand will . be able to supply her people with really fresh fruit at a much lower price than that at which it can be imported. There are exceptions,-of course,' ac for aomei fruits the coil and climate are uneuited, but these are not of much consequence. If there is , to be-a revision of the tariff on fruit, it ehoulfl tekevthe form,.of higher imposts on those kinde which can bo grown here, and also ' on canned, ■ dried, and other forme of manufcfturefl. ( Papanui road. "THE BUILDER AT WORK."-" I TO THE KDTTOB OF "THE TtixSS.'l ■ j Si r —l read-with considerable-inter- ' est the letter over the pseudonym • of "Experienced" in this That gentleman expreesee>,ifmeßlf • as pleased at the of your article, nevorjJielei* with, that co'ntharine*« which is supposed to characterise the other ccx, lio goes on to , 'throW""ft wet blanket on that progressiveaies® to, which is largely due .the present; pr«* peroos state of things. • True, there have been failures in the building trade, and some for no inconsiderable amount,, but is that any reason why the whole; trade should be condemnedP I grant your correspondent, too, tliat there'is -a good deal of trafficking;in-land-e<ring on. "What of it?. Does not the speculative, go-ahead spirit have" * "■ good effect upon the whole of- oar oomiaunity? Who arc the most speculative people in the world? The Americans, surely. And these - colonies ai»i frequently—and I believe , rightly —compared to America. I can scarcely go with the pessimistic .remark* of > porienced" as to the inability of anynumber of people buying ; land on the histalmcnt plan being unI able to meet their engagements. I J must "say I bate a better opinion of the ' ability of the average colonial to gauge hie own resources, than he evinces, and, for his benefit, 1 might-tomark tbatl am not a "blood-sucking syndicate,'.' "speculative builder," "mushroom'land agent," or "land ehark." ... 'I . < "Experienced" cays he has grown up> in bad times. I believe him. He seems to fairly revel in them, and' wants to condemn others to the same depths of diemal despair which eeem so fruitful in breeding failure-microbes in himself. ■ He unwittingly put* • up a pretty strong argument .in favour of the proposed canal, though. . The doleful'pio'ture he draws of Christchurch as a useful adjunct to the (then) flouriehkig port, of Tiftiaru, ought surely be enough to stir the, public ont of their .present apathy regarding that proposal. I would cay, too, in naming, that I believe ' its -successful accomplishment would be the-very beet thing for Christchurch. The vast, agricultural :;*p& pastoral resources at the back of us, and of which Christchurch is the natural outlet (though "Experienced" does pa/ss J over this point co lightly) would help ! make our city the exporting centre for , this class of good* to a still greater ex- ' tent, while importers would Teap a great advantage in the saving of thousands of pounds annually in railage, etc., tine j placing us on a- fairer footing ac com- ' pared with other centres. • •. i And why should it not be carried out?; Your columns have contained two or

three instances of late of the? QMjjjgß like manner in which. have been carried through" in America and other months or yeare. , And thisf ing is a mere flea-bite to some while the cost per hewLtfr H*'4tilSm ants of the province ie than that which the earlier undertook when they put.tanMo&Seg Lyttelton tnnnel. - The growing faster sow than :it-*m*\*&m and are we going to shrink at a burden 'similar to that undertook co willingly for the berieUsi tho provinco for our benefit? OrtiK§ that we ere less progressive, aad-nyfil to sleep in the lap of luxury rataertJSl face the chance'of A pcesibte flint "MxT improbable) failure? I believe;thara£ ibuwneee men generally only toolr'wi this proposal with the same 'eothntisffii with which thoy would enter on a mSI deal or business „ venture, the • f3&Mi would be an accomplished two or three yeans. S^fisi In conclusion, leay, let u« aim' KJaSfS count on enooess—not failure— and-jEisP obedience to natural law surely we dewl attain it. As Emerson cays,. your waggon to a star." Wβ want!!? encourage settlement, outside - captiiffl and immigration— not retard it mutt «ny Little Englaodcr policy. here the best city in the colony, aadtial capable of almost infinite growth. 'Lkl us, then, do our utmost in helping its progresf., and not discount - itSa YouTe, etc., ;<?a| PROGREaeiV , ;?