FRUIT GROWING

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 133, 9 June 1927, Page 15

FRUIT GROWING

BRIGHT FUTURE FORECASTED

TRADE WITH ARGENTINA

U'W" conference o£ the New Zealand Fruit-growers' I'ederation was continued yesterday, the president (Mr. T. C. Brash) in the'chair.

Professor Tillyard, of the Cawthron Institute, addressed the delegates in the afternoon, detailing steps that had been taken to test out parasites which it was hoped would eventually reduce the ravages of insect pests in the fruit industry, including the bronze beetle and earwig, and also described the procedure that would be followed in the testing out of any parasite finally decided upon as likely to eradicate blackberry; Professor Tillyard ■ was emphatic that any injuries to raspberries likely to result from the introduction of blackberry eradicators could be minimised by spraying, as in the United (states, where there existed practically every enemy to raspberries imaginable, tlie returns per acre were marvellous. The tests being applied were exhaustive, and in any case nothing would - be'" done for several years, even if it were decided to make use of the facts discovered. None o£ the insects being tested -, could escape ■trom the special building in which the tests were carried out, and there was no danger. It, in the interests of the Donuuion, it became necessary eventually to sacrifice the raspberry, industry in order to eradicate the blackberry, then no doubt compensation would be made to those engaged in the industry. A number of remits were discussed in the afternoon, and in the evening the Minister o£ Agriculture (the Hon. O. J. Ha..-ken) was the guest of the federation at the annual dinner. The Minister assured the assembled fruit-growers of the Government's assistance to the growing industry, ■which had kept a better eye on its finance than.some other industries on the land. ■ EXTENDED GUARANTEE INDEFINITE. ''Loose finance;" added Mr. Hawken, "has got many of our industries into trouble. One reason for the continuance of the guarantee was to enable the fruitgrowers of New : Zealand to put their market finance on a i>roper footing. One cannot say whether the guarantee will be continued or not. My own opinion is that it should be continued for some time at least. . (Applause.) I. don't say to the same extent. (Laughter.) The Government is prepared to help, I can assure you of that: I hope that the many branches of fruit-growing will continue to develop in New Zealand. It is only bj' testing the oversea markets over a period that we can definitely decide whether it is a wise policy to push the fruit-growing industry in New Zealand. . . . We have had two very good years against one bad year. "It seems to me in a country like we have that fruit-growing is going to be one of the good industries. I know quite well that it does not give very good returns —it does not produce millionaires —but still it employs a large number of men, provides a comfortable livelihood, and the amount of land employed is very small. It is a most intensive form of using the land. We want to cultivate that in New Zealand. New Zealand is a small country, and we have to encourage very intensive use of the land if New Zealand is to be successful in the future with. its primary production. We liaye now almost reached the extent to which we can bring in new land." Mr. Hawken was of opinion that the local market had not been sufficiently developed, and he hoped that in time the importation of -fruit would become unnecessary. ARGENTINE CONSUL HONOURED. i Another guest was Senov Humberto Bidone, to whom warm and sincere-tributes were paid for the manner in which he had facilitated the trade in fruit with liis country. • • Messrs. E. V. Bevan, of the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Shipping Company,, the president of the federation (Mr. T. C. Brash), the Director of Agriculture (Dr. C. J. Keakes), and the Minister eulogised Senor Bidone'g activities, his courtesy, and the value to New Zealand of the establishment of trade relations with his country due to his efforts. Senor Bidone, replying, spolce of the local market for Argentine products, and hoped the trade might become reciprocal.He anticipated a tenfold increase. in New Zealand apple export to his country.