FRUIT INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 343, 10 March 1922, Page 2

FRUIT INDUSTRY.

I.GGAI, ASSOGIAI lON’S AGTIVITIKK. A XXI AI. MKKTIXG. There was a *;c.o(l attendance of members ji! ill*’ annual meeting of tin* Man.i will ii !■ rnitgrowurs' Ass(i; in I ion, winch was held lasi evening in Palmerston North. In ilic iinim),il.ihlc absence of ihe president. (.Mr Xmtii) the (hair was occupied by the vice-pn-Mdem, Mr A. 11, Push. Iho annual report meni toned dim die association was in n s .mid film ik in I position. Inc credit balance being £32 lid. showing a gain ot £32 4s lid on iln v year's operations. Tin- membership was now 22. an increase ol three on lasi year. In conformity with die Industrial and Pro ,i----d.-iii S' icin' ins' Act. under which the association was registered, shares had been issued, 87 of which had already been taken tip. Ihe advantages of being represented at die annual conference of the I'Tnilgrowers Federation —al which the association was represented hy die secretary--were touched upon in (he report, which .-laied ilia) by dn’s means local growers were able to keep in much with important mailers affecting the frnil-growing industry. In litis connection reference was made to iht* iirebligiil menace, which would require very i r.relul >vati Iting. < onmientiiig on die report the chairman said that, as a young society, they had nothing to be ashamed of. The report and balance-sheet were then adopted. Oliicer.s for the ensuing year were elected as follow:- President, Mr A. I!. Push; viee-presincnl, .Mr I l '. 11. Owtram; secretary and treasurer. Mr T. K. (‘onway; committee, .Messrs J. Xairn, G. dyne. W. V Kills. 11. G. Grover, 1.. A. Johamen, and G. Walker. PPKSSIXG PPGPddv.MS. Petnrning thanks for his re election, Mr ( oewav made some interesting observations regarding the future of die industry. 1 here should, he said, be compulsory gradin:;- of fruit throughout die country, so as to arrive a) a standardised article, dins securing a standardised price, the same as in the ease ot lint ter and cheese. I nlornmatelv the Government officials were not keen to lake this matter up. on the score ■,f die expense dun would be entailed in die :• ppoiniment ol die necessary additional inspectors. Referring m the (ireblighi inenace, Mr Conway said that they mn-l aim ai gelling hawthorn declared a noxious weed in die district., because lit (‘blight might break out here any day. If they could only gd die hawthorn eradicated I hey would be able to cope with lirebligiil. bin failing ibis tile pest would gel die belter of orciiardisfs. The Government, be lamented, did not seem to tValise die gravity ot du situation. Anodter I bill?’, on which fruit-growers wmi'd liavt- to eoncent rale their efforts was the creation o! a (jinsranline station so as to ensure dial i,o fruit trees came into the country unless they were (|i!aranlined and guaranteed iVcr It mu lirebligiil and all oilier pesis, n- (..cry pes: already established in Xew Zealand, there, were hundreds ol other.llirt Imij not yet been introduced, II a iiiiaraniine station had been c-stablisbed hi die Domnnon 60 wars ago. n v.'onld be 10-day a grand conn try for iniit-growing. ('oncinding, he staled dial he believed die nursery men were moving in the mailer. Mr Conway, who refused to accept any reiiiniieva I ion tor Ins past services, was accorded a heartv vote of thanks.