FRUIT INDUSTRY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 25 November 1936, Page 9

FRUIT INDUSTRY

CORRESPONDENCE

APPLE PACKING CLASSES

EXPORT GUARANTEE

DELICIOUS FOR BRAZIL

FIREBLIGHT

MEETING AT LOWER MOUTERE

QUESTION OF SUBSIDY

(From Our Own Correspondent)

At a meeting of the Motueka. District Fruit Exporters’ Association, held in the Jubilee Hall, Lower Moutere, Mr L. B. Robinson presided over a good attendance of growers.

The Te Kauwhata Fruitgrowers’ Association, Ltd., advised that the following resolution had been passed, at a meeting held on 20th October: “That this meeting is agreed that the Dominion Conference for 1937 should not be held, and that the money saved to the industry from this source; be used towards defraying legal expenses incurred in fighting any award that may be imposed on orchardists, that is considered too high. Further to this that the secretary be instructed to send out a circular letter to all associations asking for their support to this resolution.”

The Motueka Association was asked to bring the resolution before its members for an expression of opinion. In the circular it was pointed out that the conference was a costly business, and it was felt by the association that the results obtained did not always merit the expense, and that for next year, at any rate, the money could be put to better advantage by using it for the above purpose. On the motion of Messrs Driver and C. H. Mackay the secretary was instructed to inform the Te Kauwhata Fruitgrowers’ Association that under the constitution of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation a Dominion conference must be held annually, and that the meeting considered that the forthcoming conference would deal with matters of vital importance in view of impending legislation.

Mr G. Stratford, Orchard Instructor, reported that the students attending the apple packing' classes that were being conducted at Motueka, were making good progress and should, when the instruction was completed, be an asset to the industry. The chairman stated that at a recent meeting at Mapua Messrs F. E. Clark and 'D.' Haining had been appointed to represent the Motueka district on. the Orchard Employers’ Union, but he believed that Mr Haining had found it inconvenient to carry on. - Mr Haining, after explaining his position, asked to be relieved of the duty and Mr G. Allcott was appointed to fill the vacancy.

Speaking in regard to the Government guarantee on export fruit for the forthcoming season, the chairman expressed the opinion that it would not be less than 10s per case. He thought that if this figure was decided upon by the Government the advance to growers, at the time of shipment, could be reasonably lifted from 3s to 4s 6d per case. After the matter had been discussed it was resolved (Messrs K. J. Holyoake, M.P., and Clark) that the Fruit Control Board be asked to make the advance on export fruit as high as possible for the 1937 season, and that the secretary forward a covering letter giving the reasons for the request.

The chairman informed the meeting that the Control Board had completed negotiations for the sale of 30,000 cases, large size Delicious to Brazil for 1937, and he understood the price was 8s 6d per case c.i.f.

Mr J. Dicker, chairman of the Fireblight Committee, who was present by invitation, reported that a fresh outbreak of fireblight in the district, had been giving the committee some concern. This time infection had been found in the Gravenstein variety and in the hawthorn hedges in the vicinity of the orchard. In the past hawthorn hedges that had been cut down to fence high had not been infected, but, he regretted to say that, on this occasion, fireblight had been found in a trimmed hedge. The committee, he said, had been deprived of subsidised labour under the present administration and, in consequence, the cutting back of hedges had to be discontinued. The committee considered, however., that, where hedges had been cut to fence high for farmers, in justice to themselves and to all concerned, the farmers should make an effort to keep such hedges trimmed. A certain defined area including portions of Motueka, Lower Moutere and Braeburn Mr Dicker said, had been recommended to the Government for inclusion under the provisions of the No. 2 schedule of the Fireblight Act. The meeting passed a resolution expressing general approval of the action of the Fireblight Committee in recommending the above area for inclusion under the provisions of No. 2 schedule.

Mr John McLaughlan was proposed and elected a member of the Motueka District Fruit Exporters’ Association.