FRUITGROWING INDUSTRY

Northern Advocate, 15 July 1925, Page 2

FRUITGROWING INDUSTRY

REVIVAL EFFORTS

On Monday evening there was an attendance of 10 orchardists at a meeting in the supper room at the Whangarei Town Hall to hear ill'. Geo. A,- j Green, lion, organiser of the Auckland I Fruitgrowers' Council, Ltd., give an address upon the aims and objects of that body i» relation to local associations and urging that the Whangaiei Fruitgrowers' Association should be revived. Associated with Mr. Green was Mr. P. Everett, orchard instructor under the horticultural section of the Department of Agriculture. Mr. H. C. Rishworth was elected chairman and Mr. W. L. Heather minute secretary. The chairman said it was rather a pity that Mr. G. E. Alderton was not present, as he was very keen on citrus fruitgrowing, which he understood was to be a matter to receive particular attention. Mr. Everett explained the reasons why he had convened the meeting and then referred to the proposed formation of an experimental area for subtropical fruits. The matter of establishing a fruittesting area in Whangarei for the purpose of trying out sub-provincial fruits had frequently been mentioned to the Orchards Instructor, and in his opinion such an experimental plot would prove of great value. There were many kinds of fruit that would undoubtedly grow to perfection in the Whangarei district if they were properly cared for and started in suitable soils. So fay they had never been tried out. Besidesi poorman oranges, or as it was now known New Zealand grapefruit, other fruits that -should probably be grown in the proposed experimental area, said Mr. Everett, were the avacado, oranges and lemons of different varieties grown on different stocks, figs and loqua/ts, and possibly pineapples, though he questioned whether the last mentioned would grow to be successful commercially. It was explained by the speaker that fruit-testing areas were usually established by the Department in an existing orchard, the owner being relied upon to carry out the necessary work. Probably one acre would suffice, and the Department would supply the trees, spraying compounds and fertilisers, while he would undertake the pruning, j Such an area would be of great benefit i to the district, and if the growers took the matter up themselves he believed that the Department would render all Assistance in its power and would be more prepared to grant an area as an experimental plot. It was to be under-, stood, said Mr. Everett, that he had brought the matter forward simply to ascertain whether the district was keen on having an experimental area established. and he believed that if the growers were prepared to help themselves in the matter the Department would undertake the control of any such experimental plot. Mr. Green retraced his early knowledge of the fruitgrowing industry in Whangarei years ago. Since then the town had gone ahead, but horticulturally the district had gone back and it presented a sorry spectacle, which was no good to; the general welfare of the district. The Auckland Fruitgrowers Council Ltd., was a provincial organisation intended to embrace the whole of the organisations, connected with the fruitgrowing industry in the province. It coihsisted of some nine registered associations' and about a dozen iisolated members. The council

was reeognised by the Horticulture Division and by the. New Zealand Federation of Fruitgrowers as the mouthpiece of the organised fruitgrowers of the province. It existed to enable the growers to have a voice in those matters which connected them with the industry as a whole, and also it existed to assist and do all in its power to help any weak local association or to organise new ones.

There were some things, said Mr. Green, in which the industry had advanced, and the Fruitgrowers Association had got in touch with the late Hon. W. D. Macdonald, the outcome of which was the laying of the foundation of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation. In 1916 the orchard tax was imposed after it had been supported v by 1700 letters fiom growers. That iiad been the beginning of tilings as they were today. Many changes had taken place since the days when Mr. Jos. Mackie was secretary of a prosperous fruitgrowers' association in Whangarei, but nevertheless there was no reason why the New Zealand export should not equal that of Australia at 2,500,000 cases. The Auckland fruit industry had undergone many changes and the New Zealand phase was also an altered one. The great mistake as seen from j the present outlook was. that the associations in those days were niainly deliberative, not co-operative. It was only about 10 years since the Auckland Provincial Fruitgrowers Council Ltd. was formed on the present basis, and only nine years since the orchard tax made the present organisation possible. The federation was formed of affiliated associations, and today it had a large staff of nearly 20 men and women, with a splendid busi.ness man in the person of Mr. Napier at its head. With the assistance of the Orchard Division and the State guarantee the federation was exporting about 250,000 case's of fruit and there was more to follow. Many of the difficulties of the past had been overcome, and with stability of grade, standard packs, uniform cases and one brand for the Dominion, the federation had already won a foremost place in the British markets for orchard produce. That was made possible by organisation. Fruit control wisely exercised would increase the possibilities of the export. In this connection, said Mr. Green, it was hard to estimate the work overseas which Mr. A. T. Attwood had done for the fruitgrowers of the Dominion as he had obtained

its recognition in the highest places.

Some two years ago, said Mr. Green, it was felt that there was need for some body that would give the associations of the Auckland district a concrete entitv; one that would enable

them to speak on matters effecting the whole province; enable them to voice to the federation their views even more directly than at present; a body that would be in direct touch | with the director for the district more tli.'jn was possible with the provincial unity; one that the federation, the Government, or others could consult ns a whole and get the considered viewpoints of the growers of the province. The result was that the council was formed and registered. It today represented every active association in the province. The federation recognised it by voting £50 to its funds, which was secured by a payment of Is per member through the local association to the council. The recent conference was*, tlie most businesslike gathering of fruitgrowers he had ever attended, and much good work was done at it. The constitution had been altered for better or for worse, and one of the most important changes was that affecting the election of federation directors. This in the past had been on the general basis of conference electing whom they thought best. Now New Zealand had been divided into seven districts, four in the South Island and three in the North, each in future electing its own director. The Auckland Council had dealt with a number of matters including an appeal against the new railway tariff, and had decided to go in for an advertising scheme to boost the j apples in cool store, for which purpose Id per case on all cases in cool | stores in Auckland was being: sought. Only a provincial body could run such a scheme. In connection with local markets, grading, packing and distribution were all important,, and a meeting'of the council in the near future was expected to produce results tending -to re- , duction of overhead expenses, giving the public a better graded article at a lower price and yet returning growers more for their work. In view of th« great increase "of the production of fruit and the vast import to Auckland from the south it had become necessary for " the local, growers to do their share of exporting, and there again the Council would assist in developing the export spirit. The value of the fresh, fruit grown in the Auck' land province was estimated to be well over £1,000,000 per year at wholesale value. Mr Green dealt with the pro»spects of citrus fruit growing in the North, and in conclusion urged the reorganisation of the Whangarei Fruitgrowers' Association, affiliation with the Auckland Fruitgrowers' Council, and an endeavour being made to rope in all who were in any way interested in fruit culture of any sort. Whether in citrus, pip, stone, tomato or berry, all were interested in the success of the other j and all needed the mutual assistance I and support of the other branches, j They all needed educational facilities, I lesearch and experimentation, which | could be secured- by cooperation onl>.

Captain Patterson askg'd whether an experimental area would be permanent, or would the Government, as it did at Tauranga, close It down when money became short.

Mr Everett replied that the closing down of that experimental station was due largely to the war, combined with the faqt that the trees had not been properly planted. It was regrettable however that it could not have been kept going. The idea no.w was tomake' a contract with a grower .binding thii Government to carry on "for at least teu : years.T,. It would be useless to start unless it were kept going long enough to test the trees thoroughly. .

Mr H. C. Rishworth suggested the advisability of the Government acquiring an area of its own for the experiments, but the orchard instructor replied that it was more economically sound and easier for the Department to carry out the experiments in conjunction wtith a grower. It would be better to have the experimental area a few miles away from a town, so that likelihood of desire to subdivide would not interfere.

In reply to Mr W. L. Heather, MiGreen stated that there was no change effected in the revised railways freight for fruit.

Mr. Heather moved, seconded by Captain Patterson, that the meeting decide to reorganise the Whangarei Fruitgrowers' Association and the

motion was carried, seven members enrolling.

Speaking to the resolution Mr. Heather said that the Association was atill in existence but it had no members. The rules were still extant. The industry as far as he could see would have to be re-organised in the local markets, for in 14 years' experience he had never previously encountered conditions similar to those ruling in Auckland last year." A resolution waa carried that it was deemed in the best interests of the Whangarei fruit industry that the Whangarei Association of Fruit Growers should link up with the Auckland Fruit Growers' Council, Ltd., and the local Association was requested to take the necessary steps for the affiliation as soon as possible.

Mr. J. Maclue moved, seconded by Mr. E. Delves that the meeting was resolved that the time had arrived when an experimental sub-tropical fruit area should be established in the district, and the motion was carried. A subsidiary resolution- wa3 that the Whangarei Fruitgrowers' Association form the nucleus of a general committee to further the objects of establishing the experimental area, and that 'it' invite the co-operati on of the Chamber of -Commerce, the Horticultural Society and other local bodies and persons in furtherance of the proposal.

Questioned about a site for the experimental area, Mr. Everett said that he had not chosen one but that he would obtain the opinion of the Fruitgrowers' Association before making anv recommendations in the matter.

At a meeting of the revived Fruitgrowers' Association held subsequently it was decided to ask Mr. L. Hanlon to accept the presidency. Mr. W. L. Heather was appointed vice-president and secretary pro tem.