NEW ZEALAND FRUITGROWERS' CONFERENCE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 274, 8 November 1911, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND FRUITGROWERS' CONFERENCE.

A SPOON FED INDUSTRY. TO THE EDITOR. Sir.—From time to time the orchardists in this district have heard of the preparations for the annual conference of fruitgrowers in Nelson, and hopes ran high that at last the fruitgrowers of the Dominion were prepared to co-operate and wotk together for the benefit of the country at, large and the fruitgrowing industry in particular. Tlie report of the conference just concluded which has just reached us is, to say the least, disappointing. Gm of some thirty five subjects set down for discussion no less than twenty five ended with the passing <-f a resolution asking for Government assistance. Among other ihings the GovCrnmcnl are asked: — 1. To compel all growers to sell in municipal markets. 2. To make a levy on all fruit grev.n to provide funds for opening foreign market‘. 3. To guarantee exporters of fruit against loss. t. To pievent monopoly of shipping space. 5. To regulate cool storage of fi nit on steamers. 6. Tc fix sizes cf fruit cases. 7. Tc reduce railage on fruit case material. 8. To plant timber for fruit cases by prison labour. 9. To restrict devastation of for10. To place an export duty on white pine. 11. To elect cocl steres in fruitgrowing centres. 12. To compel merchants to give a guarantee for all spraying material. 13. To compel nurscymcn to sell only clean trees. 14. Tc I'igcrcmlv enforce the ‘‘Orchard ai\d Garden Diseases Act.” 15. To test spraying mixtures and report io growers. 16. To proclaim *fi it it areas in frit itgrenving dist ricts. 17. To offer rewards for discovery of :,-;nc<ly fcr wcoliv aphis. 18. To. mnimain regulations agaitisi imperted fruits. 19. To register ail commercial orchards. 20. T? exempt New Zealand wines from tho Licc:iring Act. 21. Increase duty on South African vines., 22. To increase duty on apples and citrus fruits. 23. To establish small experimental orchards in fruitgrowing districts. 21. To grant reduced fares to delegates to Fruitgrowers Conference. 25. Tc allow the importation of German owls. Now, Mr. Editor, as a practical fruitgrower, it seems to me that if the industry really needs Government ca all these points it would be. infinitely better to nationalise the whole business of fruitgrowing, or. failing tl at, to abc-lith it altogether and open our doors to the progressive gicwcis cf countries who are able tc pay freights to New Zealand and still place a first-class article in the hands cf the people at a reasonable price. We hate had far too much ‘‘State aid” to the fruit industry —hence the present high prices of fruit. The fruit industry opens tip great possibilities for men of energy, grit and enterprise, but for men who run to die Government on every pcsiblo excuse and object to the payment of a 2 6 annual s.ub-

rg:ripti:.’n to tho funds cf the Dominion Federation of Fruitgrowers it has little or nothing to offer. —I am, c t c.

OODLIN MOTH. Havelock, Nov. 7th. 1911.