TASMANIAN APPLE EXPORTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 21 June 1926, Page 5

TASMANIAN APPLE EXPORTS

ADDRESS BY SIR HENRY JONES . TO NELSON GROWERS ' • Sir Henry Jones, of Hobart, motored from Nqlsqn to Motu-eka on Friday for the- purpose of addressing the fruitgrowers’ meeting. He was welcomed by - the chairman, Mr James Allan, and on taking the platform was warmly applauded . In a: bright and breezy speech . which at times occasioned much laughter, he dealt with Tasmania’s export apple trade, which, established 38 years ago with 100 or 200 cases, this, year totalled 2,200,000 .cases. Tlie methods of estimating the shipping space re- - quired were dealt with, and also the assistance given growers by his company. -The grower had tlie right to select his own agent in England. There was rivalry among agents for Tasmanian fruit, he said, to see who.would give . the best price. Tasmania would jiot go into jin Australian Government or shipping board, control unless it had repre- < ■ sentation in proportion to ,its share of export, which was about two-thirds, of the whole. Two or three years ago,, said Sir Hemy, Tasmania had what was called the %lack spot plagqe.” Permission was obtained to ship under “blem- ' ish.” A third of the apples sent to England were used for cooking pui poses, and. the skin was taken off... If they could sell apples with a black spot 1 as big as a threepenny bit at 6d a case less they ‘ ; wotild take it. every 1 time. There was -no local market in Tasmania, and if 30 or~ 40 per cent, of the crop was shut out from export growers could not continue. i y ' . V. ; - ■ '• V f WASTE IN ORCHARDS '/L/./. 1 y ■ .. ■. / ‘ / Sir Henry went on to say that lie j had-seen more apples in this coni)try on the ground and going to waste than :>->£■ in "any. other-country,. In Tasmania they had to use the'bulk of. the crop. There, had heed efforts at control, but in no case could a majority be secured, for control, outside growers themselves. New Zealand might he different with growers here. But with the variety of climate;.Auv. tralia aad so many districts they would . never come together. Nelson :warded- a harbour so that apple.ships would come here regularly. They had no pre-cooling in Tasmania” (Applruse). There was no expense except in getting the fruit, as quickly as.possible to the boat. /‘This is. iny opinion/' remarked Sir Henry. “'Take what, you like. I am giving you rny experiences. Get a”deep harbour, bring a boat, in evety week, bundle the - stuff in—and off you go.”'(Laughter.and applause). ' ■ " ; Tl)at." he add si. 'was what wo have been doing for 37 years. No control board would ever beat us. I am not here to interfere with you, hut .only to give you what we do. - ’- (Apiplause). *" ■ In reply to a question, Sir Henry said his-firm advanced money to growers without interest, but exchange was charged: - ... : i In reply to another question, he said the shipping of black' spot fruit had paid Tasmania, bringing from 10/- to -• 15/- a case/. It meant one season £200,000 to Tasmania, which she would not have got if. black spot fruit had not gone. “What did the people of England care about black spot, if the .skin was .-taken off?” To another questioner the information was given that there were 28 Government. inspectors in Tasmania. The thanks of tlie meeting were accorded Sir Henry, on the motion of..Mr Brash, seconded by Mr Gilbert. In acknowledging the vote, Sir Henry said they had no difficulty in getting 'shipping space, though they had had to get some ships that were due for' New Zealand—(loud laughter)—“but we , gave you the Port Hobart.” (Loud applause).