FRUIT INDUSTRY

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 36, 11 August 1933, Page 12

FRUIT INDUSTRY

NELSON CONFERENCE

WORK OF FEDERATION

(Special to the "Evening Post.") NELSON, August 10. The annual provincial conference of the Nelson fruit growers opened in the Foresters' Hall today. The meeting, which discussed remits to bo dealt with at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Fruit Growers' Federation to be held at Wellington on September 6, was .very largely attended. Mr. J. Dicker, a Nelson director of the federation, presided. Among those also present were Mr. T. C. Brash (president of tho federation), and Mr. H. '£~ Napier (general manager), Mr. ,T. Campbell (Director of the Horticultural Division, Department of Agriculture), and Mi\ Stephens (chairman of the.Fruit Control Board); Mr. A. M. Robertson (vice-president of the federation), and Mr. Izard (Auckland). Mr. Brash, referring to the Ottawa Conference, said that so far no very great advantage had yet been seen in regard to prices. Quotas were also much in the limelight, and caused the federation much concern. Tho Australian embargo had been of some advantage to New Zealand, and the Government had no alternative but to impose it. No doubt there would bo some slight modifications each way in the future, Mr. Brash went on to refer to the developing of the Dominion Mark fruit under the local marketing scheme, and outlined the benefits derived by growers. The federation believed that the scheme had been of distinct advantage to the growers, although there had been some difficulty in relation to the standard, which was only to be expected. He' appealed to growers to assist by keeping up the quality of the fruit. . ■ Tho federation balance-sheet was in quite a satisfactory position, said Mr. ' Brash, and revealed a net profit of £2577. The directors had had a good deal of anxiety in financing growers, I and if at times growers thought the federation was a. little hard, he asked them to remember that the directors were the trustees for tho growers. During tho years the federation had been making steady progress, both in regard to service ' to growers and financial standing, and if it were wound up today each of the £1 shares would be worth £250 in hard cash. The federation had no "dud" assets. Its money had been invested in nothing that would tie it up, and it was giving enormous assistance to'a large number of growers who had got behind, and, as a result of tho federation's backing, were enabled to keep going. It had. been a difficult year, and the future would be more difficult. A remit was submitted which had for its purpose an amendment of' the constitution to enable the annual conference to hold an export meeting, districts and voting being set out as follows: Auckland 3, Hawke's Bay 3, Gisborne 1, Wellington 1, Marlborough 2, Nelson 11, Canterbury 2, Otago. 2. The remit met with general opposition, and an amendment was carried to the effect that tho constitution be not altered and that the federation set aside a day for dealing with export matters under the chairmanship of a member ef the Control Board. ifAe conference will discuss export matters tomorrow. .