THE FRUIT INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13650, 18 January 1908, Page 6

THE FRUIT INDUSTRY.

EXCELLENT PROSPECTS FOR

THE SEASON.

VALUE OF COOL STORAGE

VIEWS OF THE GOVERNMENT

POMOLOGTST.

The fruit industry formed the subject of an interview yesterday with Mr. W. A. Boucher, Government pomologist. Mr. Boucher has just returned to Auckland from a visit to Hawke's Bay, where he made a careful inspection of the orchards. The fruit industry in Hawke'e Bay, he said, was advancing by leaps and bounds, and on lines that were thoroughly sound and satisfactory from every point of view. The commercial orchards were thoroughly well worked, the pruning, spraying, manuring, and cultivation being carried out in the manner most desired. The output from the Hawke's Bay district this season would, Mr. Boucher believed, be a record one. Peaches, especially, would be a heavy crop. This was well demonstrated by the fmct that a,bout two and a-half months ago. when he visited the district, including the rim ley orchard, all hands were commencing thinning operations, and this work was estimated to occupy fully six week#. On the occasion of this last visit, all hands were equally busy gathering and marketing a. heavy crop of peaches, and this would employ a large staff for about three months.

The canning operations in Hawke's Bay, he added, were also in full swing, a very large staff being already engaged, with the prospect of a further increase as the season advances. Very satisfactory progress is being made in the fruit commercial districts, and the Auckland province and Auckland city, in conjunction with the South, should be well supplied this season with apples, pears, peaches, and to a lesser extent, with plums. The latter on account of the unfavourable climatic conditions this season, will prove to be rather •a light crop.

" It is satisfactory to know that the condition of the commercial orchards throughout the whole of the North Island shows a marked improvement," said the pomologist, " so that we may hope to have, (season by season, on increased production of clean, marketable fruit. This state of affairs would undoubtedly benefit both producer and consumer."

Mr. Boucher said he bad considered the question of cool storage in regard to the fruit industry. "Later we may also hope to extend our season by placing any of the summer surplus in cool Storage, and eventually we may look forward in a hopeful spirit to building lip a valuable export trade." "Do you think there is any prospect of fruit becoming cheaper?" he was asked. "Decidedly,' was the prompt reply, "With tiie increased production and better methods of marketing, I see no reason why wo should not get much cheaper fruit, and that at no distant date." "Are the transit facilities from the orchards to the fruit consuming centres satisfactory?" "Tho facilities themselves are not so bad; it is the method of handling that is unsatisfactory. We might take an example from California, where the fruit industry has reached such a high standard. Fruit m California is handled with extreme care. It is recognised there as a valuable product, and one that deteriorates very considerably when it receives any rough handling or other unnecessary usage in transit. In the Dominion, "on the other hand, to a very large extent fruit is handled as any ordinary cargo might bo, with the result that unless it is picked very much on the green side, and very carefully and closely packed, considerable bruising and deterioration in value take place in transit between the orchard and market. It is to be hoped that tho time will come, and soon too, when fruit will be regarded here as it is in California. That is, one of the most important products of the laud, which should be conveyed from orchard to consumer as speedily and as carefully as possible." Mr. Boucher further stated that if we had a, summer and autumn surplus we could put it into cool stores for four months, and the season would be considerably lengthened, with profit to the grower and to the satisfaction of the consumer. That cool storage will pay handsomely is evidenced by the fact that Mr. Boucher saw on the Auckland wharves some three months ago, a case of imported apples that cost 15s to land—from Sydney. Fifteen shillings for a case of apples! What must the price be to the consumer? The development of this aspect of the industry seems to Mr. Boucher to be an important consideration in the future advancement of fruit growing.

AUSTRALIAN FRUIT.

QUESTION OF PROHIBITION

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Wellington*, Friday.

One of the successes wit-li which Mr. H. J. Scott, the South 'Australian Commissioner to the Christchurch Exhibition, returned to his State, was the practical assurance of the Dominion Government that South Australian grapes would b? admitted to New Zealand upon payment of a small duty. The fact that Parliament fixed the duty upon grapes at Id per ib led South Australian vignerons to believe that the prohibition of imports of grapes by New Zealand from, their State at any rate, would be removed, also the large majority of the public, who know how prolific South Australian vines are and how luscious is the product, have been buoyed up with the hope that cheap and good grapes would be a feature of our fruit supply. So far, however, the Government has done nothing to remove the restrictions on South Australian or any other imported grapes. . Mr. Kirk, when seen by a Post reporter said the matter was in the hands of the Cabinet. When asked what would be done by fruit inspectors with South Australian grapes if any shipments arrived at the. New Zealand ports, Mr. Kirk said, "Under the existing regulations, which have not been altered in regard to imports of gropes, the fruit would be promptly destroyed. The matter is in the hands of the Cabinet, and I have received no instructions to admit grapes from South Australia or elsewhere." STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER. [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION. ] Wellington. Friday. Interviewed by a representative of the Dunedin Star to-day, Sir Joseph Ward stated that regulations were now being framed with a view to the admission of grapes and apples from the Commonwealth, under the altered tariff of Id per lb imposed last session Sir Joseph was unable to say whether the regulations would he altered in time to permit of the importation of the fruit this season, which was now fairly under way.