COLONIAL FRUITS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2914, 19 January 1910, Page 10

COLONIAL FRUITS.

EXCELLENT NEW ZEALAND DISPLAY. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, December 3. Under the auspices of the Royal Horticultural Society an exhibition of colonial fruits and products was opened on Wednesday at the society’s hall, in Vincent square, Westminster. Thanks to the energy of Mr H. C. Cameron, Produce Commissioner for the Dominion. New Zealand made a qplendid show, and won -many compliments on the opening day. The exhibit consisted of apples, preserved fruits, preserved vegetables, honey, wine, jam, etc., showing the chief industries of the country in this particlilar department. The section was admirably arranged, and at the back was placed a number of sheaves of grain. Altogether it was a varied exhibit, setting forth in miniature the rural industries of the Dominion, which the Government helps the small farmer to develop by education and inspection. Chief interest centred in the ap*ples, which, gathered in March and kept in cold storage since May, still retained their fine colour and appearance. H.R.H. the Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, declared the exhibition open. The Duke of Argyll expressed the pleasure it gave her Royal Highness to perform the ceremony, and congratulated the society on the excellence of the show. He remarked that with cold storage the transit of fruit from the oversea States in the Southern Hemisphere was now a comparatively easy matter. A shipper in trade with these told a friend of his the other day that for 12s 6d or 15s a week ho could (provide him with as much fruit as he required for as many people as he wished to entertain in London every week. The more the oversea States could send us their fruit, and everything else in the way of food, the better. They wanted to convince people by that exhibition that the overseas States had plenty of fruit to send us. —(Applause). Directly the speech-making was concluded the Duke and Duchess made a tour of the exhibition. Roth showed keen interest in the Dominion’s display, and the Duke assured Mr Morrison, who is assisting Mr Cameron, that lie was very much interested in New Zealand. Princess Louise handled one of the apples and. observed that -it was very wonderful to think it was picked nine months ago, especially as it appeared to be as sound as when it was packed. The New Zealand diplay was awarded the Silver Knightian Modal. Mr C. Wray Palliser, Acting High Commissioner, also visited the exhibition, and during the week several New Zealanders inspected the products from the Dominion. At the present time 150 hands are employed at the Frimlcy Canning Works, and even that army of employees is unable to cope with the rush of orders without working overtime. Last week no less than 34tons of green peas were preserved, which brings the total for the present season to between 60 and 70 tons.