RETAIL FRUITERERS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 252, 19 July 1920, Page 6

RETAIL FRUITERERS

THE' ASIATIC MENACE. 'A conference of delegates representing . the New Zealand Fruiterers' Association -' of New Zealand was held in Wellington ; last week. Mr. J. T. Gwynno presided, - I and .'Mr; J. W. Ranson was appointed ; iecretary. In his opening remarks, tho : ohairman said the association felt thnt .' if, all suoh. bodies were affiliated in one ' ■ central body much better results coyld ; be'obtained than under the present con- • ditions. The growers, he 6aid, had already fomied co-operative institutions, ' ond the agents, apparently, worked hand ■; in hand, with the result that during th« • '. past years tho prico cf fruit as retailed 'to'the .public had been considerably in- \ creased. The association therefore fel c that it should federate the retailers, in tiie interests-not only of themselves hue of tho;.puicha.siiiff public. Jtogular mat- . iet, reports should bo obtained—reports ..-.that could be. relied upon.- 'They also : iirged the necessity for a reduction in | railage rates, which added very greatly 1 to the cost of fruit to the oonsumer. The ■ conference also would be asked to con-

sider the question of the influx of Asiatics and their relations to llio fruit■'selling industry., They, recognised that .-there were many difficulties in connec'"i.tion._w.ith. that but he urged •'.* that the .time had come when the public 1 conscience must be aroused to the fact 1 that "these peoplo nro a real menace to the community." It . wag decided that Retail Fruiterers' 'Associations throughout Now Zealand be affiliated in one central 1 body, to lis calleditho.New Zealand Retail Fruiter,;,eraf .Federation; that a standard size of ; ;fruit cases should 1)6 made compulsory; ;that fruit growers soiling fruit bo com.(polled to comply with tho vegulations recently gazetted; that tho' Department iij.of. Agriculture be requested to make'it compulsory that all auctioneers or agents 'be not allowed to sell fruit until it was 'passed by a fruit inspector. In pursuance of its objective,, a deputation from the conforenco waited last ■niglit on some members cf Parliament, and. explained their viewe on the fruit question, more particularly in regard to ,we Asiatio question. The members present expressed hearty sympathy with tho ' friews expressed by the deputation. : The conference also passed a motion" that the Government bo asked to set aiside small areas adjacent to tojvns for the use of returned soldiers in the

growing of vegetables, and that the Gov- • i eminent be requested to abolish the power now given to' municipal authori- | ties to license hawkera to sell fruit in the streets. ■ ' i; > The following Officers were elected:— ; President, Mr. J. T. Gwvnne (Dunedin); ;vice-president, Mr. It. J. Mills (Auckland) ; secretary and treasurer, Mr. IT. ;P.: Bryant (Dunedin); executive, Messrs. /«. Vinsent (Wellington) and Hi D. Brewer (Invorcargill). i - It was desired that the next conference ,ba held at Christohurch' in September, ; 1921. " .