SPECIAL INTERVIEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12317, 8 July 1903, Page 1 (Supplement)

SPECIAL INTERVIEWS.

THE FRUIT OUTLOOK OF AUCKLAND PROVINCE. '

GOVERNMENT POMOLOGIST'S VIEWS.

Mr. W. A. Boucher, Government Pomolologist, in tlio course of an interview with a Herald representative, was kind enough to throw some- light upon a subject which is wrapped in much obscurity for the producer and consumer of fruit. The man in the street is at a loss to know how it is that: he gets such inferior fruit here in Auckland, vvhoreas when in Wellington he purchases a much better article at the same price, and is astonished to learn that much of this fruit comes, not from the immediate locality, but from Auckland." It is a problem too difficult for any but an expert to solve, hence in going to Mr. Boucher for a solution one is only pursuing a course dictated by both prudence and intelligence. Mr. Boucher was first asked to explain the alarming difference between the price realised by tho grower and that paid by the consumer. "To do that," he said, "it is"*first necessary to refer to an anomalous state of things existing in regard to the local shipping trade. Growers in this province, from the North to the Bay of Plenty, for example, ship via Auckland comparatively great quantities of fruit to Wellington, and in regard to the bulk of the best fruit, ignoring the nearest market - altogether." "Why is this?" Mr. Boucher was asked. "Because, generally speaking they get a better price for their better-class fruit than they can get in Auckland. I have known mid-season ; fruit—realise to the grower no more than 9d to Is 6d a case of 401b. This in its turn is retailed at 2d to 4d a pound; thus realising, say, if purchased at Is 6d a r case, lis lOd profit out of an expenditure of 13s 4d. The consequence of this is that; notwithstanding the cost of the freight by steamer, rail, and cart, growers find it to their advantage to send much of the best of their fruit to Wellington, and, in most cases, sending in to Auckland, fruit that would not pay to send South. Naturally they would prefer to supply the local market with their best if, as. they say, they could get more equitable treatment. ; These higher prices paid for mid-season fruit elsewhere leave the Auckland market open for the inferior fruit." ' "Can you reconcile the rigidity of the regulations regarding the importation of fruit, and designed to prevent the introduction of pests,- with the "fact that so much codlin moth-infected fruit is sold in tho shops here, if not actually displayed in the windows, at anyrate finding its : way into the bags of purchasers paying, say, what is considered the low price of 2d a pound?" jV." It may seem an anomalous position for the Government 7 to take up, but in view of the measures; which I hope are to be adopted in the interest of all, and especially in the interest of orchardists, to eradicate the moth in' the northern districts, ; we, cannot now afford to consider anomalies/ but must protect and improve—nay, add to, if necessary-—' our existing machinery, and increase the difficulty, of fruit infected with any pest or the fruit posts -i in ? any other form from being introduced into the colony at all." L , ;: " Do not the growers, in their own interests, see the need for the most stringent measures being taken ;to'istamp out i, fruit pests, and will they not unanimously assist the Government in enforcing the law with regard, to them?" ■i" They contend at present that it does not pay them to take the necessary steps to stamp out i the moth : in so far as : meeting the supply of the local market is concerned, ind there would seem, as I have pointed out, , some;. reason for ; their contention. An ■', export trade can never be established until' there I is a sufficient quantity of • pound,: clean fruit io maintain regular shipments. ; A sufficient quantityj cftn never, be obtained until systonatio measures,'compulsory or otherwise, are idopted?, to -.keep, down tho .= moth. This . is itrikinglyiempliasised by the progress that t he TasmVtS;nifuit'exporf industry Has made ince a downright sincere, earnest, and honest ittitude was : assumed in dealing with codlin noth. In that State it is remarkable to mtice the growth of exports side by side with he eradication of the moth." '': -'■' ■ "What .is your opinion of the Orchard md Garden Pests Act, introduced ; last seslion '?" ' '. ■'■■" "It appears to >me that the clause relating ,o ; the I. suppression of codlin moth - i 3 an sminently fair; one, leaving to growers their ihoice of • method,;: only insisting . that all easonable measures shall be taken \ in every ;ase to subdue the pest. The people o of &w; Zealand, as a whole, have not yet recognised the necessity of taking systematic iction in controlling the codlin moth. Some )f the most progressive growers, on , their )wn initiative, urged compulsory action jeing taken by the Government, and are ;aking reasonable ; and intelligent steps to protect*their; own properties;;but what was wanted was ,' a uniform ; systems in ; infected listricts. 'i The result in the ? near future vould be the production of a sufficient quantity of clean » fruit to initiate an export trade, and -with an . export I trade: would naturally 'follow, the regulation and steadying of prices* in 'the local markets," and the prevention / of such collapses •* as frequently liscourage growers ; at present." "If Auckland is served with such fruit as you have described, is the moment come to xmsider exportation ?" , "Certainly; and with an export trade, which can only be established subject to the suppression of the . moth, hot only would Auckland be supplied with better, and possibly cheaper, fruit, but mid-season varieties, which it hardly pays to produce at the present time, would be shipped profitably and relieve the; local markets of a surplus. ■ Notwithstanding the retail conditions, we should certainly develop _ our exports, because this means expansion. There are varieties grown .here, and that could lie grown to a very much greater extent,_ that would ship . equally well with ; any shipped from Tasmania, although they might not be identically the same. The climate of Tasmania is better suited to i some of its varieties than is.Auckland for the same varieties, but we can' produce sorts that can command profitable attention in tho Home market equally with fruit from Tasmania." "And now with regard to freights—that is, for the local markets '/" "The railway rates," replied Mr. Boucher, " are quite satisfactory to the grower. He is charged for small lots Is per cwt any distancethat is, .two cases, which, with the cases and 401b of fruit, reaches pretty close to the cwt. If he puts his fruit on at Otahuhu or at Cambridge, it is all the same, while, of course, .ton rates are quoted low, and are cheaper in proportion. ' Growers are, on the whole, I'think, agreed that railway freights are as reasonable. as can bo expected. So far as I have seen in my recent tour, there is one district especially suitable for fruit-growing—the Bay of Plenty— that suffers from irregularity of carrying by boat. If the price of fruit is high to the purchaser by the pound, the grower cannot contribute' to its reduction, for he sometimes does not realise much more than the carriage and the cost of the cases." : _' In referring ■ to soft, small fruits, Mr. Boucher said these could contribute very materially to the expansion of the industry, but provision must be made for _ absorption of a surplus by canning, pulping and preserving in other ways.; With this object in view, the Auckland fruitgrowers had combined to form a company for canning, pulping and jam-making, utilising the best of the fruit of suitable varieties for canning. So far, the company had met with a fair amount of success, but not sufficient to justify it starting as originally expected. In view of the importance >of relieving local markets of any surplus, it was to be hoped that the company would obtain sufficient support from growers, and so enable them to commence operations next' season. Last season, through unfavourable weather, the fruit trees of many varieties had an enforced rest, therefore an extra heavy crop might be anticipated next season, and unless steps I are taken to absorb this surplus such low prices will follow as to leave the grower '. very little, if any, profit." . . "Have the Government taken any steps ' to assist grower* in canning < ;. ;■'-" "Yes," said Mr. Boucher: "the Agricultural Department will introduce a Bill next session by which, if passed by the House, the Department will be in a position to make advances to assist in the establishment of co-operative canneries and preserving enterprises. As a matter of fact, the duty and freight alone on canned fruit imported here would yield a profit to the grower, so large is tho local consumption." ~ , In conclusion, Mr. Boucher did not think an open market, where one could buy small lots of fruit, as is customary in England and on the Continent and in Asia, would answer here, because so many people lived outside of Auckland who could not very well tuck a case of apples under their arm, and could not pay perhaps Is 6d for the cartage I of Is worth of apples. In regard to carters I charges for such small lots as these being

in proportion to the bulk and value of-the articles, Mr. Boucher said ho could offer no solution- that would be of value, notwithstanding that lie recognised that a systematic delivery of small lots of produce would in its measure assist in bridging the gulf between the producer and the consumer.