THE GLOBE. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1880. FRUIT GROWING.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2099, 15 November 1880, Page 2

THE GLOBE. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1880. FRUIT GROWING.

The loiter of Mr. J. P. Oliver which appeared in onr contemporary “ The Press ” this morning calls attention to a subject which is one of groat importance to ns as a community, and to which we have before adverted in more particular connection with the planting of orchards. There can be no question of this, that, equally with Australia, Now Zealand is capable of producing, and that largely, nearly every kind of fruit. In the North oranges and lemons, and other semi-tropical fruits, have been for years successfully grown, whilst wo in the South know to what perfection apples, pears and the varieties of plums can be reared. But whilst this is so, there has been no attempt to supply our own very large requirements in the tier of fruit, and consequently the lers have had to go to Australia for it. This has resulted, as shown by Mr. Oliver, in a money loss to the country of nearly £38;000 per annum, of which we in Canterbury with our splendid climate and advantages for fruit growing spent something over £9OOO. It must bo remembered that the money loss is not all. The growth in our own colony of the amount of fruit represented by £9OOO would have profitably employed a number of men, who in their turn would have become distributors of the money so earned. Were there climatic reasons for our not growing fruit here one would understand the reason of this apathy to our best interests. But it is not so. We hope to see something practical shortly done in this matter, and trust that ere long a start will be made to supply our own market with fruit. This is one of those subjects which ought to engage the attention of the Industrial Association. They should endeavor to work out the problem of how best to encourage the development of an industry which would be of such universal benefit. If the matter is well agitated no doubt some one will be found to go into the matter practically, the more so as fruit growing for our market should be a very profitable business indeed, as we have already endeavored to prove.

THE UNLICENSED TRAMWAY,

The City Council, in their dealing with the Tramway Company, appear to have lost sight of the necessity of their exercising at once the power given to them by the Tramway Act of licensing and inspection of the vehicles, &c. This, we would desire to point out, does not depend npon any of the other questions in dispute, because, whether the Tramway are right or wrong in their contention that they have a right to monopolise the footway at the railway station, the Council are bound in the interests of the public to see that the drivers, guards, &c., are licensed, and that, in common with other licensed vehicles, the carriages, &c., are in good order. Beyond this, for the conservation of the public safety, there is a necessity that the Tramway should bo under supervision and not allowed to run as now in any way they like. Only a day or two back, in crossing one of our most crowded thoroughfares the tram cars continued at their full speed without any warning bell being rung, and very narrowly escaped running down a carrier’s cart. Not being licensed, of course the city officials have no power over the tram cars, and when we contrast the sharpness and strictness with which the cabmen are looked after, with the utter disregard as to whether the public are served properly or not displayed towards the Tramway Company, the contrast is most marked. It is currently reported that a certain portion of the rolling stock of the company was Be knocked about by overcrowding on the show day, that, had anything untoward occurred, there might have been considerable danger to the passengers. Tet through the absence of proper precaution on the part of the City Council in licensing the cars, &c., this was allowed to go on without any interference. Plenty of time has elapsed to enable the Council to make up their minds as to what is to be done in the matter ; and, certainly, in the interests of the public, not a day longer should be allowed to pass, but the Council ought at once to require the company to take out the requisite licenses and instruct their inspector to take the same course of procedure as the supervisor of the tramway cars, that he now does as supervisor of the cabs.