CHEAPER FRUIT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14391, 9 June 1910, Page 6

CHEAPER FRUIT.

USE OF PRISON LABOUR. BENEFITS TO . GROWERS., Criticism' of a proposal outlined by, the; Hon. Dr. Findlay, Minister for Justice, at Whangarei, for the planting of fruit trees by prisoner?, has been made by the Christchurch Fruitgrowers' 'Association, which expressed fear that the competition of prison labour would affect growers. This criticism was brought" under the notice of Dr. Findlay yesterday, who said it was based upon a wholly, incorrect assumption. -It would be remembered that by way of variation from the present tree-planting prison camps, he suggested the diversion of a portion of the labour employed there to fruit tree planting camps, north of Auckland. He suggested that the poor land might be prepared for closer settlement by converting it into small fruit farms, the area planted in fruit to be about 15 acres, with or without a further area added for other farm purposes,, dairying, for instance. The work of preparing these fruit farms, if done by free labour, would either be unprofitable ' to' the Government, .or if they were let or sold at a rental based on or at full cost of preparation, perhaps unprofitable to the settler. Hence, just as in the case of • timber tree planting now done by prison labour, this fruit tree planting might be done by the same labour, with a, view to the farm being let or sold to the settler at a rent or price which would easily enable him to make a living. It was never any part of his proposal that fruit should be produced by prison labour and sold in competition with that of existing growers, for as soon as possible after the trees were planted the farms would be disposed of to settlers, who would, of course, themselves see to the production and marketing of fruit. Planting fruit trees would no more compete with orchardists than planting forest trees would compete with sawmillers. - Dr. Findlay believed that what would make fruit growing in this country highly profitable would be the scientific planting of suitable kinds of fruit from the best stocks. If we had a large area under such cultivation we could produce such a supply as would command the attention of the fruit markets; of . older countries.' The existence of such a large supply would produce all facilities in connection with production, treatment, and export which were found in Tasmania and other fruitgrowing countries. Probably canning and other means of disposing , of- fruitwould be developed. ■'■'..'" Fruit in New Zealand was too dear, Dr. Findlay added, and the purpose of the Government,should be to reduce its cost, while not affecting the profits of orchardists, which, he recognised, were not very handsome. He believed that" by the means he had. indicated this country could not only put its fruit on the markets of the Old World, but the price to the people of, New Zealand would be greatly cheapened, while the remuneration earned by growers would be increased. He was. of course, concerned with this I proposal only so far as it fell within his province as Minister for Justice. The Minister added that he had learned, that there was a very large area of land lying within a radius of 20 or 30 miles ■ of Russell which would grow apples as; fine in quality as any in the world. Some! of this land he had seen, and at present ■; it was not worth more than 3s or 4s per : acre. • ':'■ *