SHOW FRUIT EXHIBIT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 664, 16 May 1929, Page 10

SHOW FRUIT EXHIBIT

POOR RESPONSE SHOWN FRUITGROWERS MEET j Some doubt as to whether the couni cil should go ahead with the fruit exhibit at the Winter Show -was expressed during a discussion at the meeting of the executive committee of the Auckland Provincial Fruitgrowers’ Council, Ltd., yesterday. The secretary, Mr. G. A. Green, who was appointed organiser for the show exhibit some time ago, reported that th© response to the invitation sent to growers to contribute fruit for the exhibit had been practically nil. From the Auckland Citrus Association an offer of £3O had been made for th© citrus section of the exhibit, and the Federation Board had offered £25 on a strictly £ for £ basis. Mr. Green said that about £75 worth of stuff was ready for the show, but to put up a really decent exhibit another £25 or £SO would be necessary. Mr. S. *VV. House (chairman) said it was like drawing teeth to get any contribution to help to put up a decent exhibit. The show* people were meeting tlie council in every way. Mr. F. Firth (vice-president) said that »JHpurently the council had not got enough fruit for the exhibit, in which case he thought it would not be worth while going on with the exhibit. He did not want to throw cold water on the project, but it would be unwise to go on with th© exhibit if enough fruit could not be guaranteed. Sir. — Mr. Green said that the council should not let the show people down. There would be no difficulty in getting 30 or 40 cases to back up the citrus exhibit. “If the growers can’t do anything, w© will be the laughing-stock of the public,” he said. Mr. W. J. Rodger moved that the council assist th© citrus exhibit as much as possible. RATING PROBLEM The secretary reported that the question of legislation regarding rating on unimproved values, on the lines suggested in 1928 by the Feilding commission, was brought before the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Forbes, some time ago. Th© question had been brought to the notice of several M.P.’s, and both Minister and M.P.’s had expressed .themselves convinced that the State must act. A large amount of evidence was placed before the Minister. Some who spoke lived 12 miles from Wellington, and their rates alone ran from £l2 to £l3 per annum. The secretary recommended that the question b© referred to the annual meeting, with the request that it pass the matter on to the incoming executive, and that a remit to the annual conference be drafted. The president, Mr. S. W. House, said that the matter was a very important one as far as fruitgrowers were concerned. It was the duty of the council to watch conditions and bring about a better state of affairs, if possible.