CO-OPERATIVE FRUITGROWERS

Otago Witness, Issue 3942, 1 October 1929, Page 18

CO-OPERATIVE FRUITGROWERS

ANNUAL MEETING. | Sixty members attended the annual meeting of the Co-operative Fruitgrowers of Otago, Ltd., held at Roxburgh on Friday. Mr S. A. Stevens (chairman of directors) occupied the chair, and Mr J. H. Waigth (manager) acted as secretary. ADOPTION OF REPORT. In moving the adoption of the annual report and balance sheet, the chairman stated that for the past year the society had not been able to pay its usual dividend. This was due to the loss of the Pacific Preserving Company shares. At the last annual meeting it had been suggested that the shares should be written off, but the directors had thought the step inadvisable. Unfortunately matters in connection with the company had become worse, and there had been little prospect of gaining anything. The amount had, therefore, been wiped off. There was a balance of £l5O to carry forward. The profits and turnover of the society had been about the same. He felt satisfied that in future years the shareholders would receive a dividend of 5 per cent., and that they still had a good asset.— (Applause.) One of the best items in the society’s operations had been apple export. The turn for the better had been due. and he hoped that the coming season would be just as successful. The trade direct to the consumer had risen to £12.000 last year. He hoped that this branch of the society’s activities would keep on increasing. He referred to the necessity for a duty on imported fruit, and stated that it had been difficult for the growers to get rid of tlje lower grades. Something would have to

be done to stop the importation of soft fruits. The menace must be met, and the growers would have to fight to have the conditions altered, Mr J. B. Gilmour, who seconded the motion. §aid that the society should use every effort to induce the Minister of Customs to put such a tariff on imported fruits that the canning factories would be enabled to operate more extensively. The motion was carried. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS. The following directors we*e elected unopposed:—Coal Creek, Mr John Bennetts; Cromwell, Mr John Swann; Oamaru, Mr R. H. Jeffries. Messrs David Leslie and James Hamilton were candidates for the position of director for the Ettrick district, a ballot resulting in the election of Mr Hamilton. Mr Leslie was accorded a vote of thanks for his past services as director. The remuneration of the directors was fixed at £2OO. Messrs R. Hanning and E. J. G. Johnston were re-elected auditors. STONE FRUITGROWERS. Mr G. B. Gollop stated that there appeared to be antagonism between the Cooperative Fruitgrowers and the Fruitgrowers’ Federation, ami to him it did not seem to be justified. It should be recognised that union was strength. Growers of stone fruit had been left in the lurch. They had steadily lost for the last five or six years. He read all the reports of the federation meetings, and he had not seen any suggestion put forward to help them out of their difficulty. A member: Have you asked the federation to do anything for you? Voices; Yes.

Mr D. Leslie stated that matters in ' connection with the growing of stone fruit had been given every consideration by the conference, but there had been few remits from the growers. The blame lay with those people thetn-eives. If the remits were put forward they would be considered. and the federation would give all the help it could. GENERAL. The chairman reported that 12 new members had joined the society during the year. _ . It was decided to hold the next annual meeting at Alexandra. The manager and staff were accorded [ a vote of thanks for their work during the year.