FRUIT AND BOXES.

Northern Advocate, 2 September 1919, Page 3

FRUIT AND BOXES.

GET BUSY POPOScAJLS. PLANT BOX WOOD NOW. South America is a proved outlet for New Zealand fruit, states the Parliamentary Industries Committee report, and considerable quantities of apples were exported to this co-tn try under favourable conditions and at good prices until shipments were cut Off owing to the war. It is of the utmost importance that provision should be made for at least one steamer per month during the months of March, April and May of next year to ta*ke the Cape Horn route to Europe and call at South American ports with shipments of apples and other produce for which codl storage would not be a necessity, sufficient outlet for the next few years, while developments in other This market would probably supply directions are being fostered. On the question of local transit the committee recommend that the Railway Department should come to an arrangement with the shipping companies to ensure the through-booking and proper forwarding of fruit consigned from a shipping port to a destination to reach which railage is necessary. The time occupied In transit by rail in some cases is so great as to prohibit trade. Further, the railway trucks are quite unsuitable, and the committee recommend that specially-designed trucks should as soon as possible be made available. The committee rejects a suggestion that the Government should commandeer all apples and pears at an averaige of about Id per lb, at the orchard, retailing the fruit in case lots at about 2d per lb., but favours the appeal for the'establishment of an experimental station in the Nelson district, to be worked in conjunction with, the Gawthron Trust. With the ever-increasing scarcity and the cost of suitable timber and the impossibility of .meeting the increased demand at reasonable prices," the committee are of opinion that no bar should be put upon the importation of cases or case timber, either by Customs duties or otherwise; also, that the planting of pinus insignia and other suitable timber in fruit•i growing districts should be encouraged or carried out by the Government. Imported machinery should come in free of duty, while where returned soldiers take up land for fruit-grow-ing they should receive small acreages of high-class land upon which they might cultivate vegetables, small fruits, etc, until their trees come,into bearing. The committee recommends the raising of the £9000 limit for cool stores, fruit-canning works, etc.