CONFERENCE OE FRUITGROWERS,

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVIII, Issue 12995, 10 December 1902, Page 8

CONFERENCE OE FRUITGROWERS,

[Pee Pekss Association.] AUCKLAND, Dec. 9. Tha annual conference of, fruit growers was opened this morning. Mr L. Hanlon read a paper on the question “ Are we advancing in horticulture from the commercial "point of view?” He said that in Auckland province he was afraid an advance was not being made. There were in this colony no distinct fruit districts of any importance. The large apple orchards of California were mainly confined to two varieties. Bell Flowers and Newtown Pippins. In New ■Zealand there was no concentration of the industry. Thames was said to be an apricot district, Ohaupo cherry and 'Whangarei orange districts, yet there were no large orchards of these fruits in either district. In his opinion we were not making a commercial advance, - Mr Kirk, Government biologist, said that there were dealers ready to buy up exportable fruits immediately if they could be got in large quantities. He advised the growers to get rid of that cursed Japanese plum,” which was unsuitable for commercial and factory purposes. He urged She speedy formation of co-operative systems for distributing fruit. Mr Kirk abo made a statement regarding the fruit fly Which, he said, was far worse than the iodlin moth. The fruit industry was worth £BOO,OOO per annum, and the total jaluo ®f imported fresh fruit was only £115,000. .Were they to risk an industry worth £BOO,OOO, with an annual increase oi 1000 acres' during the past three years, by not keeping out the fruit fly? The question was of vital importance. The meeting passed a resolution approving the action of the executive in asking the Department to rigidly prevent the importation of the fruit fly and other pests. Fruit canning and preserving and other • toattfcrs were also considered.