THE WAIKATO FRUITGROWERS' ASSOCIATION.

Waikato Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3652, 28 November 1895, Page 6

THE WAIKATO FRUITGROWERS' ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL MEETING.

-On Tuesday last, the 26th, the annual meeting of the Waikato Fruitgrowers' Association was held in Mr Delany's Hall. Present: Mr W. Johns (President) in the chair, Messrs Karl, Potts, Sharpe, Davidson, Davis, Edwards, G. Edgecnmbe, Ohye, Mann. F. W. Lang, H.H.R.j and several others. Mr Sharpe brought with him some specimens of the rhododendron flowers, which were greatly admired, and Mr A. Karl produced a couple of bottles of his gooseberry wine, which was duly sampled. The balance-sheet was then read. The details I will send for Saturday's issue. The Secretary said that they had started .last year with a balance in hand of 15s 7d. end the present balance in hand was £2 lis id.

On the motion of Mr G. Edgeoumbe, •seconded by Mr Sharpe, the report and balance-sheet were adopted, The President gave a short account of •what the Association had done in the past year. The Association had only been in existence two years, and their first act was to resist coercive legislation re the codlin moth. As we are not in the same position as Tasmania, not having so ■many apple orchards, the Act would have been oppressive on a few, and I am glad to say our efforts were successful. We also succeeded in getting the through •transit of fruit to Auckland, and so save knocking about, and secured the lowering of freight on fruit, in small iparcels to Auckland, the reduction being ■equal to seventy-five per cent., and received through the instrumentality of -this Association instruction in the fruit .evaporating industry, and the services of .an entomologist, besides getting a lot a valuable information from each other's •experiuce. The time was getting ripe for taking up the matter of canning and jam making, as our small fruits, such as gooseberries, were fetchiug very low prices, and we, as an Association, will have to give the subject earnest consideration. I certainly advocate having .a small canning factory erected somewhere in the Waikato before next year. In reference to the Horticultural Society, it is now amalgamated with our Association, and I have already taken steps to arrange for the next show at Te Awa■mutu.

Mr Sharp said that he had discovered •what he believed was a eodlin moth parasite. He had found several of the grubs ■dead, as if attacked by some fly, and had pointed it out to Capt. Broun. Several others present corroborated that statement.

Mr G. Edgecumhe said lie thought the President was deserving of a hearty voie of thanks for the interest he had taken in the Association, sparing neither time nor expense in carrying out the duties of /his office.

This was seconded by Mr Sharp and ■carried, several others bearing testimony to the President's good work. Mr Johns returned thanks and paid a ■compliment to Mr Lang for the trouble that.gentleman had taken while in Wellington to further the interests of the .Association.

Mr Larg said it gave him creut pleasure to do what he could, and he was clad his efforts had given satisfaction to the 'fruitgrowers generally. Mr W. Johns was re-elected President for the ensuing year, and all the old .officers wer°. re-elected, with the exception that Mr Mann took the vice presidency in place of Mr Sharpe. The following new membeJs were ■ elected :—Miss Hooper, Messrs Given, S. Farguso.n, H. Ross. J. Peppercorn and •Grant.

M* Ling was elected President of the committee of the forthcoming horticultural show.

Mr Maun complained that the concession given by the tail way department •whereby finit. cases w«re carried tree was ■withdrawn, «s he had had to pay freight .onßome.'

TheStalionmasterat Cam bridge stated the reason for the withdrawal of this concession was that merchants were taking advantage of it by getting goods vup in them.

Alter some further discussion the tmetting closed with a vote of thanks to tne chair. CAMBRIDGE BRANCH. A meeting of'the Cambridge branch of the Waikato Fruitgrowers' Association •was held in the Farmers'' Club room on Monday evening, at 7.30 p.m. There were present: Messrs J. Sharp (chair(man), G. Mann (hon. sec), M. Hamlin, H.Precce.T. VYe'ls, VV. McMillan, B Beere, T. VV. Hicks, 'V. Thomas, ,). Forrest, H. Ferguson, C. Bnyce, and T, 'Rartly. '..'..■.,■ Nkw Members.—Messrs J. Ferguson, .'lrving J.;Peppercorn, Hugh Ross, and Miss Hooper were elected members of the Association. Miss Hooper is the first lady member of the Association. Her "'unanimous' election was received with '' ,applause v Messis Irving and Peppercorn were present. Finance.—The Chairman said a uum- : ber of subscriptions were outstanding, and as the Association had to pay 2s (jd to the Auckland Union for each member out of the fee'of ss, it was. absolutely necessary that everyone should pay up at once.. The annual. subscriptions were , payable in advance, and become due in November in each year. He under- . stood strenuous efforts would this year be made'tO/get the fee to the Union re« • .du'ceoY- • • ik Association AomoNEERs.-Tbe • Sccrfctai'V're-ad the .agreement entered

" into by'the VVaikato Fruitgrowers'Assd-.: ;. ciation.'with Messrs loqmaii,, of Aupk>.: ',, land,' wjierejn the lattep', .undertook, to ••, sell fmi i •'<!!' l '' e members of the Association for 7j ) )0r cc ' l| k- on the amount rea-

lined. They undertook to give the members' fruit priority of sale, to offer it in small quantities, and to deliver it for 3d per case and render account sales promptly. They hope to quit most of the fruit by private sale before the auction begins.—The members seemed satistied with the arrangement, many saying they had found it extremely difficult to get soma of the Auckland auctioneers to settle up.—The Secretary said Messrs Tcoman and Co. would furnish anyone who used a brand with a stencil plate.

Fkuit JBoxks. Arrangements have been made with Messrs Davys Bros., of Rukuhia, to supply fruit boxes of various sizes. A sample box wa« exhibited, 18x12x6, which would cost ?ls per 100, or 2s 9d per dozen ai the mill, with an extra 9d per dozen for loading. The box was a very neat one, and was planed at both ends.—The Secretary said fruit cases used to be delivered free by rail until it was found that Messrs Souter and Co. were getting them up for trade purposes, then the railway authorities charged freight again.—Mr Forrest thought it unreasonable to want the new cases carried free of cost.—Mr Hicks said the fruitgrowers had nothing to thank the Government for, as the charge for carrying fruit was the same now as it had been for years.—lt was pointed out that the small growers had been benefited.

Siiows.-Some correspondence re the property taken over by the Association from the Waikato Horticultural Society was read, and Mr Forrest said the affairs of the Horticultural Society would be finally wound up in about a fortnight, and everything be handed over to the Association.

This was all the business of import' ance.