OTAGO FRUITGROWERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19977, 20 December 1926, Page 12

OTAGO FRUITGROWERS.

ANNUAL MEETING. The third annual general meeting of the Otago Provincial Fruitgrowers’ Council was held in the Earnscleugh Hall, Alexandra, on Saturday last, and was attended by delegates from the Otago, Taieri, Ettrick, Teviot, Otago Central, Upper Ciutha, and Kipponvalo Associations, and the Co-operative Fruitgrowers of Otago. Messrs W. K. Dallas and Lloyd Williams, Government orchard instructors, were also present. Mr E. C. Reynolds occupied the chair. The annual report and the balance sheet were adopted. The four retiring committeemen —Messrs Reynolds, Waigth, Moodie, and Weaver—were unanimously re-elected, and Mr A. M’Donald was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the retirement of Mr E- Pinder. Messrs S. P. Mirams and G. M. Mac Lean were re-appointed auditors at the same remuneration as formerly. The directors’ remuneration for the previous year was fixed at £IOO. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the directors,' manager, and staff for the efficient manner in which the interests of shippers had been safeguarded under very difficult conditions. In view of the fact that the department intended cutting out some of the smaller sizes for export, Mr Michelle suggested that brokers bo requested to show separate prices on account sales for these sizes. Other members endorsed this view, and the chairman indicated that this instruction would be passed on to the overseas brokers. The Chairman advised that an invitation had been extended to the Minister of Agriculture to visit the fruit-growing areas of Otago as soon as he could conveniently do so, and it was hoped that he would be able to accede to the council’s request. The Secretary reported that after consultation with the Government orchard instructors it had been decided to ask for steamers to load a week later than last season owing to the unfavourable weather conditions being experienced. ANNUAL REPORT. The committee, in its annual report states that, coincident with a record output for tho season, it is unable to con-, gratulate members upon receiving payable prices on the oversea markets. With the causes contributing to such disastrous results all shippers are no doubt conversant, but there can be no doubt the outstanding feature is the menace of American pompetition. Throughout the past few months the council has worked in co-operation with the federation in an endeavour to obtain some measure of protection on the markets of Great Britain during the Audi of the Dominion fruit season, and it is hoped that Mr Coates, with whom the com- , fnitiee has been in close touch, will obtain some measure of relief for us- When it is remembered that New Zealand buys £l6 value of British goods per head of population per annum as against 9s par head for America, it must be recogmSed that New Zealand growers have a strong claim for consideration. As far as can be gathered New Zealand has escaped any suspicion in regard to the arsenic scare, and it is hoped that any prejudice from this cause has been lived down.