N.Z. APPLES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17059, 14 June 1926, Page 8

N.Z. APPLES.

"UNLIMITED OPPORTUNITIES." FOR EXPANSION OF TRADE. 'Per Press Association.'> NELSON, last night. Commenting on the Imperial Economic Committee's 'fruit report, Sir Henry Jones, of the Henry Jones Co., Ltd., of Hobart, at present visiting Nelson, said that preference was a fine thing for the Dominions, but lie did not think voluntary preference would he nirich good. The principle was al! right, but was not sufficiently concrete to get us very far. Sir Henry Jones did not think private preference either would accomplish' much. "It would be," he added, "a great thing for England if we could get preference on both sides. This would be only possible with a far-reaching policy—a co-operative one—based on mutual preference." Sir Henry Jones, who is evidently a firm believer in trading within the Em pire, went to say thai, if properly developed, the Dominions and colonies could grow sufficient fruit- to meet nil of Great Britain's requirements, and (he work of production could easily absorb Die millions of iinc*mployefl at present on the dole in England. Let the unemployed emigrate and they could help grow all the produce the United Kingdom could absorb.

"Your apple crop in Nelson last season," went on Sir Henry, "was 550,000 casus—a very small proportion of Hie total trade. Even the whole of your Dominion crop would he quite a •negligible quantity. You have -almost unlimited opportunities for expansion if you can be assured of a profitable export market. We loaded this season 42 ships in Tasmania with 2,200,000 cases of apples. Tin's is nothing to what we could do if encouraged with preference.

"I will be glad if I can co-operate with your growers and association to promote the welfare of exporters to the Home market cither by effecting straighten!, sales in buyers in England or nii'kbig reasonable advances against all consignments on growers' accotuil. 1 pioneered this industry in Tasmania. and T am we'll acquainted with all the, requirements of the Hom« market. I siHe no reason why arrangements could not be made for direct loading from Nelson. I understand it would be necessary to deepen the harbor entrance, but this could be inquired into later, and should not present any insuperable difficulties."

In Tasmania, it was stated, apples are not pre-cooled prior to shipment as a rule. Tlu'y are packed and shipped within a week of being picked.