FRUIT INDUSTRY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 13 June 1924, Page 5

FRUIT INDUSTRY.

PROTECTIVE MEASURES

(BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, June 12. At the annual conference of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation, Mr Allen took strong exception to the statement at a meeting of the Canterbury Fruitgrowers’ Association ‘ ‘that the reason why local control is wanted is because Nelson was in a hole and could not get out of it unless the Government helped it out.” Mr Allen declared that Nelson was the leading fruit industry and would continue to be so. It was unanimously resolved that this conference repudiates the statements made by Mr F. Sisson and published in the press with reference to Nelson. The discussion was resumed on Mr Izard’s motion relating to local control. An explanation of the Nelson voluntary control system was given by Mr Allen, who stated that a month’s canvass of the district on the question of local control showed that there was a great deal of enthusiasm for the principle. The result Was that from 60,000 to 70,000 cases were signed ur> under the scheme. Therefore a local control board was set up to operate on four principles, namely, the proper standardisation of fruit, proper distribution, an arrangement with the salesmen to put their product through the ordinary channels and to advertise it. The Department had co-operated very readily with the growers in grading, and the growers had shown the greatest anxiety to keep up the grade.