NURSERYMEN MEET

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9568, 26 January 1917, Page 7

NURSERYMEN MEET

CONFERENCE CONCLUDES

The tenth annual conference of *he Now Zealand Association of Nurserymen was concluded in the Chamber of Commerce yesterday. Mr T. Waugh, the newly-electsfi president, occupied the chair.

A hearty vote of thanks was accorded the retiring president, Mr T. H. Horton, and glowing tributes were paid by members to his good work while in the presidential chair. After a short discussion, the following remit was carried :■ —"That this conference strongly protests against the Government allowing the picking over of consignments previously condemned as containing diseased trees.’’ Mr Green remarked that the Minister's explanation that the permission to pick over the previous year was essential to the interests of orchards of the Dominion should be contradicted, in this remit the association had the solid backing of fruitgrowers. The remit referred to the deputation which is to approach the Minister. The following .remits were carried: — “That the executive recommends that local councils should deni with the list of registered nurserymen in their respective districts with a view to getting unafliliated members to join the Nurserymen’s Association." "That the executive recommend all members to abstain from auction sales.” “That the name of the advertiser should appear on the top of each page in the Trade Register in instances of more than one page advertisements.” After considerable discussion it was decided to hold the next annual conference of the association in Christchurch. AFTER-WAR CONDITIONS.

"After-War Conditions in the Nursery Trade” uas the title of a paper read 1 by Mr D. A. Hay. of Auckland. Mr Hay pointed to the necessity for the nurserymen to have the "prophetic eye” in view of the inevitable development of the land! when the war is over. Not only would there be the returned soldiers. but there was hound to.be a great flood of immigration. Many of those arriving would certainly have to go on the land and whether they went in for dairy, or the sheep-farming or fruit culture, every additional person on the land meant extra business for the nurseryman. Organisation and conservation to the full extent of the capital they now had in use in the nursery business, was necessary. At the present time they were not producing anything like the amount of stock in the leading iiues_ that was required to supply the Dominion and if a boom set in they would be a lone way behind. There was no donbt but that they could learn a big lesson from foreign organisation methods and by applying them to the requirements of' the nursery trade oould make the business of very much more value to themselves individually and to the country nationally, than it was today. Taking the on© line of fruit trees alone, ther© would in all probability bo 100,000 acres planted during the next, ten years. The question must arise—where were the trees coming from with which to plant these orchards? Afterwar conditions would bring in men from other countries with varied experience and different tastes and the nurseryman to-day—if he wished to be ready for .the futurei—should lay himself out to supply those varieties of trees, shrubs and plants that were best adapted to the various purposes and to our climate conditions. Mr Hay also emphasised the necessity for short credits and prompt payments if the nurseryman 'wished to look .ahead In.- Conclusion.. Mr Hay said"lf we produce the, right class of stock in large quantities under,'the best- conditions and of the highest quality and place- it on the market under the most approved manner, we need have no fear for the future of the nursery business after this war Is over.. The development of New Zealand is only in its early infancy and the vachievements of the past are as nothing to the progress that must follow in the years to come.” - ■ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS TO ' SUCCESS. ' ' Mr G. A. Green contributed a paper entitled “Some Essential Elements of Success in the Nursery Business,” In Mr Green’s opinion one of the great essentials to success was that the best attention possible bo paid to the commercial side of the business. It was impossible for the average nurseryman to be an accountant, or up-to-date advertising agent, and a first-class business man all in one. These commercial necessities could, however, bo gained by the co-operative idea among nurserymen in each centre. Mr Green stressed the necessity for advertising and in this connection suggested the establishmentof co-operative advertising and publicity bureau. There was also a great necessity for nurserymen to work out a costing system so that over a period of years the, leading items of production were costed*, up in order that an approximation he made under the various headings. Interesting discussions followed on the reading of the papers and hearty votes of thanks passed to their compilers. Various votes of thanks concluded the conference.