PRIME MINISTER OPTIMISTIC.

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13775, 16 July 1913, Page 3 (Supplement)

PRIME MINISTER OPTIMISTIC.

ADVANCES TO GROWERS.

[United Paras Association.]

.''Wellington, July 14, The importance of the fruit industi was emphasised by the Prime Ministe: who opened tho proceedings at tho cox forenoo of fruitgrowers and roprcsen; atives of tho shipping companies t(

day. Mr. Massey congratulated them on. the marked . improvement that had taken place since last year in connection with the industry. The exports oi' apples for the eeason prior to the <m© just terminated were 17,000 cases, whereas last season the exports for South America alone were 30,000 cases. By the time all the records were available it would doubtless bo found that the total exports had moro than doubled He was quite aware that th&. increase was partly owing to tho fact that there was a short supply from , Tasmania, but New Zealand fruitgrowers iiad secured the market, and ne hoped they would retain it. Tho success of fruitgrowing depended upon the quality of tho supply, and it was the duty of the exporters to sco that everything was done to keep up' tih© quality, and pleas© the customers ttfc the other end. There was reason to believe that the climate of New Zealand was just as favourable for tto . growth of fruit an that of Tasmania. As Prime Minister, and as a private member, he had travelled from one end of New Zealand to the other. Ho had seen the magnificent apples grown in tha sub-tropical climate of the far north of New, Zealand, and had Been apples just as excellent grown near tfeo snow line in Central Otago. If this wore the case as far as extreme climates were concerned, it was safe to say that a great deal could be done, in regard to fruit growing in the ©ouatry lying between these two zones. JThe fruit-growing industry was going to bo a most important one, and th© Stat« was going to do all it could to rfssist tho industry. Tho Government hoped to be able to put through legislation enabling one of tho Department to make advances to associations for providing storage- and canneries and helping the industry generally. It ha«l helped the dairying industry, and it hoped to be able to help the fruitgrowers.

Tho conference proceeded in camera.