CITRUS VISITORS ARRIVE HERE FOR CONFEENCE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22665, 16 June 1948, Page 4

CITRUS VISITORS ARRIVE HERE FOR CONFEENCE

Apologies for the bedraggled appearance of areas of the fertile Gisborne flats were offered by local growers and sympathy with flood .sufferers was extended by visitors when departmental official visitors and delegates to -ho annual conference of the New Zealand Citrus Council were welcomed to Gisborne last evening. The welcome took the fo~m of a social gathering in Low’s receptionrooms, the president of the Gisborne Citrus Society, Mr. H. Carmichael, being in the chair, associated with Mr. P. G. Bell, president of the P.B. Fruitgrowers’ Federation. The conference was to have been conducted in Gisborne last month, but a postponement for a month was agreed upon because of the disorganisation created by the flood damage iM the district. Prior to the flood district was looking at its best, local ' growers said. Delegates and Official Visitors Delegates from the Kerikeri, Auckland and Tauranga citrus-growing areas were present and official visitors were: —Mr. A. B. Congdon, president of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation, Mr. A. M. Greig. secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Marketing, Mr. W. T. Goodwin, assistant director of the Elorticulture Division. Mr. B. G. Goodwin, district superintendent, Palmerston North, Mr. C. G. Wilkinson, manager of the Fruitgrowers’ Federation, Hawke’s Bay, Mr. S. M. Conway, secretary to the Citrus Council, Mr. D. Bayly, orchard instructor, Tauranga, Mr. R. G. Hamilton, district superintendent, Auckland, Mr. A. E. Everett, manager citrus section, 1.M.D., Auckland, Mr. A. C. Bridle, manager, Marketing Department, Auckland, Mr. P. Nottage, senior orchard instructor, Auckland, Mr. J. Everett, orchard instructor, Kerikeri. Welcome to Gisborne The welcome to Gisborne was ex-\ tended by Messrs. Carmichael, Bell and J. C. Hardy, the last-mentioned giving some of his experiences in floods in the Repongaere area since 1906. The last flood, he said, had been the “father of them all.’’ An expression of thanks on behalf of the visitors for the early hospitality of Gisborne growers was made by Mr. Congdon, who said he well remembered making a tour of the district a year ago. Memories of that tour were still retained by the many northern growers who had participated in it. Referring to the flood, he said he was sure that the “old pioneer spirit’' of the growers of the district would soon overcome their difficulties and in a few months, or perhaps longer, they would have forgotten their unenviable experiences. Mr. W. Hall, a former Gisborne grower, now resident in Auckland/ gave some of his experiences on a recent visit to California, where “everything was done on a big scale.” However good were the conditions there, he said, he would prefer New Zealand, because of its more temperate climate and relative freedom from pests. Mr. G. T. Burbery, president of the council, Tauranga, associated himself with the sympathy extended by other speakers, but felt that Gisborne growers would come through with flags flying. During the evening Miss Molly Skillen entertained at the piano, Mr, R. Sloan gave two vocal solos, and Mr, Norman Lee an elocutionary item.