I.—loa.

38

[frank sisson.

have them export; but, at the same time, if the Government does not feel inclined tei help Nelson, it weiuld not matter a bit to Canterbury. If Nelson was to put thousands eif cases into Canterbury it weiuld not matter a bit, because their expenses woulel bo so great that they e:eiulel not sell against us. 27. But for a time you woulel have a struggle ? —Well, we; woulel not make: a fortune. 28. Woulel it not be better to have an organized system of exporting the fruit ?—For all over New Zealand ?. 29. For those: whei want to export ? —lf there was a system of exporting from Nelson I suppose: it would help to a certain extent. But it would not work all over New Zealand. Fruit docs not ripen at one particular time, and each district's requirements as regards fruit vary cemsiderably. Supposing, for instance, that Canterbury shipped for export, it would then bo necessary to establish our own centre:, and not have our centre in Wellington. It would be far better to work it from Canterbury. Each provincial district should have its own centre. 30. Of course, we quite understand that. Do you not think that the Control Board weiuld use ordinary common-sense ? —Well, I do not know what they would use;. A man who is fruitgrowing all his life: is generally a silent sort of man ; he is not a talker. But it is generally the talker who gets on to. Boards of that sort. 31. But when it comes to business outside of your own centre, you would then be; at a disaelvantage unde:r present conditions ?—Do you mean, if 1 send the fruit throughout New Zealand ? 32. Or to England ?—I do not think so. 33. Do you not think that the fruitgrower is at a great disadvantage as soon as the fruit gets out of his hands ? —No. I do not know anything about export at all. 34. Do you not think that the Board, whose special function it would be to watch that fruit on behalf of the grower, woulel do better for the grower than he can do for himself under present conditions ? Well, so far as shipping is concerned, it might do something ; but I think the: fruit shoulel be: shipped from the various centres in which it is grown. It gets ripe so rapidly that it should be dealt with at once. 35. Of course, that is a matter of management. The point 1 want to make; is this :Is it ne>o likely that there will be too much fruit for the local market ?—Well, of course, that remains to be seen. Now, this year it was not really necessary to have any exported at all. The; price leieally was quite profitable. Another year perhaps it might not be so profitable. 36. But as the: orchards get older will there not be too much for the local market ?—Well, of course, there: might be more, but I think there; will probably be less. Ido not think there will be so many orcharels. Them: will be more of the eirchards wipoel out: that is my opinion. 37. Mr. Lysnar.] I unele:rstand you elo not export at all ? —No. 38. And if the Bill is confined to export you will have no objection ?—lf it is oonfined to export, so far as lam personally concerned, I have nothing against it. But I think that it ought to be; made of advantage: to exporters from one end of New Zealand to the other. 39. What weiuld you suggest ?—That each district should have an export centre of its own. 40. Is not that what is intended ? —No ; the Bill says that the centre must be Wellington. It says the fruit must be: shipped from any port in Now Zealand to the central piort, and that it is to be exported from there. 41. You think that there should be different centres ?—Yes, different centres, and let those centres manage their own affairs. 42. What would you say if provision was maeic in the Bill that the local control coulel not come into effect without the consent of a certain percentage: of the fruitgrowers of the; district ? —Well, that would bo better than the bare majority. That would be something like prohibition. Ido not think it should be elecided. on a bare majority. But all the same, we are not in favour of the Bill at all. Canterbury is not in favour of the Bill at all. 43. What would, you say would be a fair proportion ? —Say, two-thirds. 44. You state that you cannot mortgage your own fruit. Did you not notice that there is a provision in that connection in tho Bill —in connection with advances made to the owner of the fruit ?— Yos, but they can mortgage the fruit for other purposes if they wish. The Bill does not give any restriction of their mortgaging transactions : it says that they can mortgage: the whole lot. 45. The; Bill says, " For the purpose of securing any advances that may be made; to the; Board or tei the owners of any fruit at the request of tho Board " ?—Yes, but they would have to pay expenses. 46. But they have no power to mortgage for expenses ? —Well, I do not read the Bill that way. 47. The Bill says, " For the purpose of sescuring any advances that may be made to tho Board eir to the owners of any fruit at the request of the; Board, the: Board shall, by virtue of this Act, and without further authority, have full power on behalf eif the eiwners of any fruit to give security over such fruit " ? —Well, supposing I went to a banker and made arrangeunents for the coming year, I would have to let him know how many thousand cases I will have;, anel what 1 estimate: they will fetch. I will have to give full security for the coming year. 48. Of course:. Then the next clause reads, " The Boarel shall have power, for the: purposes of its business, to borrow moneys by way of bank overdraft or otherwise howsoever, and may give as security therefor debentures, debemture-stook, mortgagee, or other securities charged em any or all of the assets of the Board." That has nothing to do with fruit Mr. Forbes : But what are the assets of the Board ? 49. Mr. Lysnar.] Do you think it woulel help the: position better if there' was simply an overhead charge of so-and-so- a charge by the case or by the pound ?—Do you mean for local control or for export ? 50. For any purpose —on the same: basis as what is done in connection with the: Dairy Control Board and the Meat Control Board ? —Do you mean for both local control and export ?