LETHARGIC FRUITGROWERS.

Northern Advocate, 17 December 1910, Page 4

LETHARGIC FRUITGROWERS.

;SOME caustic comments were passed ■! at the Fruitgrowers' Association meetling last evening, on the manner in ; which members promised to attend ! meetings and then failed to put in an 1 appearance, and on the general inertia j of the majority of local orchardists. '■ "Twenty years ago," said the president, 1 "I had heard of Whangarei as a great 1 fruit area, with a reputation similar i to that of Nelson, but whereas the' lat--1 ter place is forging ahead, ue are :it a standstill. A very great lack ol hir.erj est is manifested, as is shov* a '■> Met fact that only nine members haae , es- ! ponded to the forty-five notices sent out for this meeting. On the <iiher hand, within a 20-mile radius <>f Nelson there are eight energetic Associations." Mr McLeod thought the only remedy was for the president to visit each delinquent in turn and black-

guard him till be did his duty. Further trouble ensued in securing a ! volunteer for the position of secretary, which was not a very onerous ; one. Mr Hani on had served in the icapacitv for eleven years, and Mr Mac-' kie for fourteen, ten of which were { on a "pro tern" condition, and both i had come through the ordeal without j ninny grey hairs. However, this dim- ; culty was finally overcome, and busi- I i.ess was proceeded with. ;