FRUIT INDUSTRY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 30 August 1945, Page 8

FRUIT INDUSTRY

HILLS UNION GROWERS C OOL STORE AND ROAD PROPOSALS The executive and general meeting of the Hills Union Fruitgrowers’ Society unfortunately clashed with other functions, and the chairman, Mr H. j. Chignell, in opening the meeting at the Bluffs Shed, said he had to make quite a number of apologies from members who were unavoidably absent. However, the meeting was most interesting, and the attendance quite sufficient to ensure interesting discussions. The draft annual report was read and approved, and it was agreed that this should be printed and circulated to members as usual. In a general discussion following consideration of the report, mention was made of the rapidly changing personnel of the orchard owners in the district. The older growors who had established the orchards were dropping out, and were being replaced by the j sons of orchardists or by returned servicemen. To keep growers up to date, j and also to cater for new growers it was considered that a little less time might be devoted at meetings to fruit politics, and an evening be set aside now and then to deal with cultural matters and the more practical side of fruitgrowing. The Orchard Instructor’s report was read and proved most interesting, Mr Hogg being thanked for his painstaking work. COOL STORE AT MAPUA A good deal of correspondence had passed regarding the desirability of a cool store at Mapua, and the vexed question of whether fruit should be stored as quickly as possible at the point of production, or whether proximity to market should be the deciding factor, had been fully discussed. Mr F. E. Nottage said all apples shculd be cool-stored : a soon after picking as possible; while in the case of fruit for export pre-cooling was absolutely essential. With pears there was even more urgency, and it was advisable to put these in cool store straight from the tree not even waiting to pack. It was resolved to refer the' matter to the Cool Store Committee, also to enlist the co-operation of the Mahana Association. UPKEEP OF ROAD Strong comment was made on the state of the road from the Central Shed to the assembly depot at Mapua. Speakers stressed the fact that there was probably more traffic over this road than over any, road in the district, and the prospect of facing the carting of another season’s fruit over the road gave rise to a great deal of concern. The right of the district to have the road bitumenised was stressed, and it was resolved to approach the Waimea County Council through the local member and strongly press this matter. NEW ROAD As roads were under discussion the matter of a new road, which had been unsuccessfully advocated by the society in the past, was again raised. The scheme embraced a straight road from Nelson across Rabbit Island and proceeding onwards across the peninsula to Collingwood. Bridges across the eastern and western entrances at Rabbit Island had been given as a reason for the scheme being turned down when it was previously mooted, but members considered that to the layman it appeared that with the gigantic machinery which would be available now hostilities had ceased the engineering difficulties connected with bridging could be satisfactorily dealt with. The project was one which should appeal to all local bodies, commented one member, as it was a provincial and not a parochial matter. It was resolved to get preliminary discussions under way at once, and make a strong effort to have the proposal not only agreed to but also put in hand. It was suggested that useful work of this nature would be a very practical way of absorbing the surplus labour which would probably have to be placed at an early date. DOMINION CONFERENCE Mr Chignell described the Dominion Conference as a most profitable one, largely due to the spade work carried out before hand, while the personnel of the delegates was of a high standard. He reported on the remits and explained what had been done about the allocation of directors. The early market bonus had operated much to the advantage of some of the other provinces, Otago, for instance, getting practically all of their W.B.C. pears included. Conference had asked that the early market bonus be revised in order to ensure more uniformity. Mr Chignell was thanked for. his report, and Mr L. B. Robinson, who had also supplied valuable information regarding Federation and Fruit Marketing Council matters was also warmly thanked for the able manner in which he was carrying out his duties. On the motion of the treasurer it was resolved to donate two guineas to a fund in recognition uf the services of a member from the district who had lost his •life overseas.

It was resolved to hold the annual meeting in the Mapua Hall on Saturday, 15th September, anu to invite Dr. D. Miller, of the Cawthron Institute, to attend and give an addres~.