HILLS UNION OF FRUITGROWERS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 29 November 1933, Page 2

HILLS UNION OF FRUITGROWERS

MARKETING FOR 1934 PREFERENCE FOR NEW ZEALAND APPLES (From a Correspondent)

A meeting of the Hills Fruitgrowers’ Union was held at Mapua last evening (Tuesday) to consider the marketing suggestions of the Fruit Board for tlie coming season. Air F. E. Nottage occupied the chair and explained that the meeting had been called at tlie request of the Board in order to obtain a lead from exporters. Mr Nottage read a circular letter from the Board which gave particulars of cables from and to London in connection with various schemes that had been suggested for the marketing of fruit in the United Kingdom during the coming

year. Mr Nottage said that, only exporting members of the Hills Union were to vote on the questions at issue. Mi' A. Forsyth sail that Goodwin’s scheme as at first submitted seemed to offer an improvement on. what had previously obtained. The first proposal offered a guarantee to growers and one would think that a single firm would be able to co-ordinate its marketing powers to the fullest advantage and make a- success of the selling business. “Wo are definitely encroaching on the English fruit season” lie said, “and we must get our apples and pears away at the earliest possible moment.” Mr Forsyth denied Mr Turner’s statements that account sales had reached the Dominion at an earlier date than last year as account sales for Jonathans sold in May were received as late as this month. Part of the early fruit was sold at a reasonable price, up to about 13s case, ' and the balance placed in the cool tore and afteiwards sold at a dead loss. Mr E. J. Vollmer said lie would like’ to cut Goodwins right out. They should eliminate their Argentine proposal and concentrate on the marketing of their own fruit in 1934. Mr Brock: “If we decided to scrap Goodwin’s scheme what is the use in having Mr Tfirner as our representative in London if we are not pi'epared to

follow his advice?” Mr M. Deck in denying a statement by the London representative said that the Australian apples (exclusive of Tasmanian) averaged 7s 4£d per case against the price of 7s for New Zealand. ]\l> F. McHarg advocated ■ preference for New Zealand apples as against the imports of tlie U.'S.A. into the United Kingdom. He said that owing to cool storage large supplies of American fruit competed against the exports of New Zealand fruit. Mr W. Hopkirk said that owing to the variations and depreciation of the dollar the Americans would flood England with apples and Dominion prices would drop accordingly. Mr A. McKee stated that the cable 3 received from Mr Turner were apparently sent with the idea of inducing growers into the Goodwin scheme. A statement that New Zealand fruit this year brought the same amount as that exported lest year was not correct, as the figures for last year were 8s 10d per case and this year only 7s. The only Australian State tc compare with New Zealand (in the matter of quality) was Western Australia the fruit from there averaging 7s per case as against New Zealand, 7s per case. He moved (seconded by Mr T- -A- White) That 'growers'bo permitted to nominate their own brokers from a'panel of not fewer than-ten brokers to be submitted by the Control Board. An amendment hv Mr J. Addison (seconded by Mr Forsyth) “That this Association request the . Control Boaru toiroyert to‘the sySteWf of selling as in 1932, viz., by a full panel of brokers was carried, only two dissenting. pooling

Several members referred to the large -majority against pooling as evinced by 'the -late ballot in the central area. The following resolution moved by Messrs McHarg and White was carried unanimouslyv. “That in view of the fact; that a large majority of growers were against pooling in the central district it be a ’ recommendation to the Fruit Export Board that there ho no Dooling for the central area of the Nelson District, and that a reversion he made to the old system of sending individual accounts to every grower in this district ” The Government guarantee Question was discussed and it was decided to interview the Government- at an early date. .