ALEXANDRA NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18545, 4 May 1922, Page 2

ALEXANDRA NOTES

Tho autumn has been an exceptional one. Usually there is an absence of wind 1 in the fall of the year, but this autumn has had an unusually large number of gales. There is now quite a touch of winter, and on Sunday morning 10 degrees of frost were registered and 5 degrees were registered on Monday. This will bring to .an end che crop ’ of i tomatpes. The rush of i the fruit season is now over, apples being the main fruit now "going forward. On the whole the season has been a favourable one. The output of fruit from this district was considerably increased on past seasons, and while the average price was not as high as that ruling lest season, still the increased production . gives the growers a good return for the season. The prices ruling in the North Island markets were be'ow the prices of the southern markets, and this brought the average price down. The gradual development of tho fruit industry in • this district is -seen, on comparing the amount ,’bf fruit despatched from the local railway‘station. . The figures for the past few yeaip are as follow; Year. .Despatch. 1917- .. .. ... .. .. 77ff tbno 1918- .. .. ... ‘Mg tons 19X9:30 .. .. .. ‘Stßtons 1920-21 .. *1025 tons Ii)21-22 .. ... .. .. 1207 tons There has not been .much development in the way of increased acreage being. planted in trees during the past few, years, but with the new irrigation scheme in operation afd more land being commanded by water, there should be a further increased, settlement with new orchards arising, At the meeting of the Vincent . Hospital Board, held last week, Mr'John Smart, of Clyde, was re-elected chairman; a position which he had held for- the past 'ten years. His devoted work" in hospital; matters, his tact, courtesy, and common sense, and over all his large-heartedness make him a particularly suitable person for the position, ihe board at its \meeting reiterated its strong objection to the proposed; site;’, at i.Waipiata for the South Island sanatorium for consumptives, and in view of the proposed conference of delegates of all the South Island Hospital Boards, to be held sometime this month, urged that before deciding on this site the delegates should inspect, it andl all other sites recommended. -The board expresses no', opinion as "to wHefeutho best site is, but is unanimously, and,-em-phatically of the opinion that a very serious mistake would be made by deciding on the Waipiata site. The department had ignored the repeated requests of the Vincent Hospital Board . for a perusal of the official report on the sites inspected. The board fears that the present financial position is being allowed to influence the decision of the department. The first consignment of apples from Central Otago for. export to London has now gone forward for shipment per s.s. Cornwall. The Railway Department is taking particular care of the handling of this consignment to eneure its arrival at the eteamer with the least possible chance of harm from handling. Included in. this consignment are 50 cases of Winter Nelis. pears sent as a trial shipment by a local orchardiet. Pears from other parts of the dominion have not exported successfully in the past, but the local growers have strong faith in the keeping quality of his fruit, and is giving' this shipment a trial. It will be interesting to learn later how tine shipment of pears opens up