Untitled

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13454, 28 April 1914, Page 6

taken with an endeavour to making (hotter freight arrangements for export fchipmonts, and that our views be «»•- wardod to the secretary of the conrev»nce."

STATE LOANS FOR COOL STORES

Mr Nottage proposed remit No. Ik "That the N.D.F.C.A. endorse the pro-, posal brought under, the notice .or the Premier for an amendment to tlio Act laat session to permit two or more associations to combine and borrow money. from the Government to provide sutnciont means to erect a largo district cool store to serve a largo ar<>a. J.no -sneaker stated that since this remit b»d been forwarded to bo brought before the meeting he had learned that •M- Massey intended to propose,an amending Bill to hay© the proviou? amounts offered on loan raised from £3000 to £10,000 for the purpose or erecting cool stores. Mr Macka.y seconded the proposal, which was carried. ADDITIONAL ORCHARD INSPECTORS. Mr Nottage also proposed: "Tiiat in riaw-of the very rapid increase of comliiaroiai orchards in the Nelson and Motueka districts the Department of •Agriculture be urged to appoint an assistant instructor to assist the district orchard instructor with the "inspection of neglected orchards, etc., thereby permitting the district instructor to devote practically all his time to instruction work " ' Mr Nottage pointed out that the area of -country over "which orchards were situated in this district was so great that it was absolutely impossible tor one man to do the amount of inspection needed. Last season^ there were 7627 acres in orchard in tho .Nelson Province; 1098 acres had been planted in 1912 and 105-5 acres in 1913. He estimated that tho whole area at the end of this year would would approach iWO *iSr Thorp (Orchard Instructor), on being asked to give some information o*i tho subject, said that there was no doubt that inspection work could not bn carried out to the extent necessan, as the area and number of orenarcis was ovor increasing, and the inspection of export'shipments took up a lot oi his time. A few years ago there wOre ts many a© three inspectors m the proViT.ce, L against only one at present. The proposal was seconded by Mr A. V. Allport and carried. TKKNEW GRADING REGULATIONS 'the president referred to the new regulations to be put into force next year with regard to the grading of export apples, which he felt were -perhaps Sniowhat stringent, as; the standard seemed to be placed too high. Several other speakers thought the •new regulations might do" with some amendment, although it was generally recognised that to keep the first and second grades at a reasonably high standard would result in better prices being obtainable. • Mr A V. AUport was of the opinion that the regulations were satisfactory, ercept with regard to the third grade, which provides that the fruit must not show more than 5 per cent, of blemish. ' Mr Thorp (Inspector) said the regulations were provided to overcome the present existing assortment of qualities acr regards colour packed. hen apples of all one size were packed in a case there -was often a vast difference m oo'louV in the fruit. He advocated central packing sheds, so that greater uniformity in the pack could be obt3Sefolved (Messrs Hudson and PickuoV "That the Director or Orchards be requested to delay the matter «f nutting tho new grading regulation* into force until after the next Is<mv Zealand Conference." THE NEW APPLE CASE. Mr Thorp (Government Inspector) explained that the Department of Agriculture would be pleased to receive expressions of opinion on the new style of case proposed to be standardised next year. , . , After some discussion it was iesolve<l <m the motion of Messrs Scott and Pickup- "That this association does not feel justified in passing an opinion on the new style of case, owing to its not fi?vin» been tested for transit, and recommends that its legal introduction be deferred till growers have had an opportunity oi giving it a. trial next y"Resolved (Messrs Mnckay and Picktin- "That this association endorses the bringing into law of the Fruit Prescrying Act." Resolved (Messrs Allport and Mackay) : "That it be a recommendation to the executive that tho next New Zealand Fruit-growers' Conference be held in Wellington in August during the tine of the session of Parliament.