FRUIT-EXPORT REGULATIONS.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XX, Issue 3, 20 March 1920, Page 200

FRUIT-EXPORT REGULATIONS.

The following regulations relating to the export of fruit from New Zealand, made by Order in Council under the Orchard and Garden Diseases Act, were gazetted on 4th March, and came into force on the same date : —•

REGULATIONS.

1. In these regulations, if not inconsistent with the context,- —■ “ Appointed store ” means a store appointed by the Minister for the inspection and examination therein of fruit for export. “ Blemish ” means an injury detrimental to the appearance of ' fruit, and includes branch-rubs, scratches, insect-bites, unnatural russeting, bruises, excrescences, sun-scalds, and hail-marks, but does not include spray injury. • “ Brand ” means to mark clearly and legibly by stencil, imprint, or label. “ Clean ” means free from dirt,'insect-stains, and spray-stains. . . "Director” means the Director of the Horticulture Division of the Department of Agriculture. " Export brand ” means an export brand registered by the owner of fruit for export in accordance with the provisions of these regulations. • ' . " Fruit ”, means apples, pears, or peaches. - . .■■ ■■ “Inspector” means an officer of the Department of Agriculture authorized to examine fruit for export in accordance with these regulations and duly appointed an Inspector under the Orchard and Garden Diseases Act, 1908. “Mature ” means having the degree of ripeness suitable for export. “ Owner .’’-.means any owner, shipper, or consignor of fruit, and includes the agent or servant of any such owner, shipper, or consignor, and also includes, in the.' case of a company, the managing director; manager, director, secretary, or other'principal officer of the company in New Zealand. A'.?.. “ Pack ” means to regularly and compactly arrange fruit in a package. \ A“. Package ” means a container for fruit. " Size ” means, when used as a noun, the diameter of fruit measured from cheek to cheek at the widest part, and when' used as a verb means to sort according to size. , ■ ' “Solid red variety means any of the varieties.of apples so designated in lists of varieties approved for export published in the Gazette as hereinafter provided. - ‘ f. ... . • • • - : “ Spray, injury ” means the russeting of, or other injury to, fruit as the result of spraying. ■ “ Standard bushel case ” means a case of the following dimensions (inside measurements): Length, 19-Jin. ; depth, 10 in. ; width, nJ in. The thickness

of timber used in the construction of the cases shall be y in. for the ends., A in. for the sides, tops, and /bottoms. • Provided that on written application being made to him by the owner the Director may, if satisfied as to its strength, allow thinner timber to- be used for the tops and bottoms of the cases, or may allow thin'timber adequately strengthened by cleats to be so used. : “ Standard' half-bushel case ” means a case ■ of ' the following dimensions (inside measurements): - Length, igjin. ; depth, 5 in. ; 'width, lijin. The thickness of timber used in the construction of the case shall' be the same in all respects as for the standard bushel case. . ’. ' - ' '" ' “ Striped or partial, red variety ” means any- of the varieties of apples so designated in lists of varieties approved for. export published in the Gazette as hereinafter. provided. ' - . '. ; ■ “ Yellow or green variety ” means any of the varieties of apples so designated in lists of varieties approved for export published in the Gazette as hereinafter provided. ... . . . . . ’. 2. No fruit shall be exported from the Dominion unless it has-been passed for. export by an Inspector, and unless all the provisions of these regulations have been 1 complied with. ': 3. (1.) Only such varieties, of fruit as are approved by the Minister shall be exported from the Dominion. "Such approval in regard to any variety may permit the 'export either generally or to any specified country or countries only. (2.) Notification of the varieties which have been approved as aforesaid shall be published in the Gazette. - ’ ' ' ’■ ■- EXPORT BRAND.

4. Every package of fruit exported from the Dominion must be branded with the registered export brand of the owner of such fruit. 5. Every person, who exports or intends to export fruit from the Dominion shall apply to the Director, for the registration of an export brand, enclosing with his application a facsimile of the brand he desires to register. . ■ 6. (1.) Every export brand shall- contain the particulars set out in the First Schedule hereto. (2.) The size of the export brand shall coincide as nearly as possible with the size.of the end of,the package on which it is to be.branded, but the prescribed particulars Shall be : displayed in characters of not less than 1 in; block type for the name of the kind of fruit and of not less than i in. or more than f in., block type for the other particulars. (3.) There may be used in conjunction with the prescribed particulars , a design or other particulars'..", ...' 7. . If the application for registration of an export brand is in order, and if in his opinion the use of such 'export/brand is not likely to lead to mistakes or confusion, the Director shall register such export brand, and shall notify the applicant in writing accordingly.' 8. No person shall use any export brand unless and until he has been notified by ..the. Director in writing that it has been' registered. 9. No person shall alter, by addition, deletion, or in any other way, the nonvariable particulars of a registered export brand " without the' consent of ' the Director first had and obtained in writing. 10. The Director may at any time, after giving one month’s notice in writing to the owner thereof, cancel the registration of any export brand if satisfied that it has not been used during the preceding two years in connection with the export of fruit. , - .

■ . ...- ... GRADES OF FRUIT. ', . -.' /......'*,, . ./' . , , 11. The following are the grades of fruit which /may be exported from-the Dominion - /:? . .. . ' --L •p.,. /.-•.-.■■ • ./ Extra Fancy Grade, t-.-.i Fancy Grade ; ■ ; ■ ■ - and the words “ Extra Fancy ”, and "-Fancy .” shall be known as and are herein referred to as “ grade-marks.” „ , . . . .. / . • apples. . ■ '■ ; \ -. . j-. 12. The following are the standards by which the grade of apples shall be determined :— ■ ".b; 7 1-.

Extra Fancy Grade. —Apples of this grade shall be of not less size than 2 J,in/, sound, smooth, and clean. They shall be mature, well formed, hand-picked, true to name, and free from disease, spray injury, visible bitter-pit, skin-puncture or skin broken at stem, and other defects. Very slightly blemished- apples may be included in this grade, provided that not more than 8 per cent, of the total number in any one package are so blemished. The individual apples of solid red- and

striped or partial red varieties shall carry not less, than 75 per cent, and 50 per cent, respectively of good typical colour. The individual apples of yellow or green varieties shall be of good characteristic colour.

Fancy Grade. Apples of this grade shall be of not less size than 2^ .in., sound, smooth, and clean. They shall be mature, well formed; hand-picked, true to name, and free from disease, visible bitter-pit, skin-puncture or skin broken at stem, and other defects. Slightly blemished apples may be included in this grade, provided that no individual apple shall have more than 5 per cent, of its surface affected thereby. Apples affected by spray injury may also be included in this grade, provided that no individual apple shall have more than 5 per cent, of its surface affected thereby. The individual apples of solid red and striped' or partial red varieties shall carry , not less than 50 per cent, and 25 per cent, respectively of good typical colour. The individual apples of yellow or green varieties shall be of good characteristic colour. '

13. (1.) No apple shall be deemed to fall in either of the above grades if, notwithstanding that in other respects they conform to the standards set out, they have been taken from trees which have been planted out in the orchard less than seven years, and no .such apples shall be exported. (2.) If an Inspector examining fruit for export as hereinafter provided has reason to doubt whether any apples submitted for examination are from trees which have been planted out in the orchard at least seven years, he may require the owner of such apples to furnish a statutory declaration that they are from such trees.

PEARS.

14. The following are the standards by which the grade of pears shall be determined :■ - Extra Fancy Grade.— Pears of this grade shall be of not less size than 2 in. if pyriform in shape and 2J in. if round in shape. They shall be clean, sound, clear-skinned, and of bright appearance. They shall be mature, well formed, hand-picked, true to name, and free from disease, spray injury, skin-puncture or skin broken at stem, and other defects. Very slightly blemished pears may be included in this grade, provided that not more than 8 per cent, of the total dumber in any one-package are so blemished. Fancy Grade.— Pears of this grade shall be of not less size than 2 in. if pyriform in shape and 2J in. if round in shape. They shall be clean, sound, mature, well formed, hand-picked, true to name, and free from disease, skin-puncture or skin broken at stem, and other defects. Slightly blemished pears may be included in this grade, provided that no individual pear shall have more than 5 per cent, of its surface affected thereby. Pears affected by spray injury may be included in this grade, provided that no individual pear shall have more than 20 per cent, of its surface affected thereby. Pears having characteristic russeting shall not be deemed to be unfit for inclusion in this grade.

PEACHES.

15. The following are the standards by which the grade of peaches shall be determined: — Extra Fancy Grade.— Peaches of this grade shall be of not less size than 2| in., well formed, true to name, free from disease and blemish, and exceptionally well coloured according to variety. Fancy Grade.— Peaches of this grade shall be of not less size than in., well formed, true to name, free from disease and blemish, and of good colour according to variety. ' 1

PACKING OF FRUIT,

16. Prior to being placed in packages fruit shall be sized, and only fruit of as nearly as possible the same size shall be packed together in a package. :: 17. In sizing. fruit in any particular size for the purpose of packing a variation of not more than J in. above the size in question will be allowed ; but no fruit shall be'included in a package which is of less size than that set out in the owner’s registered export brand hereinbefore required to be branded on such package. -18. Fruit of one grade only shall be packed in each package. Provided that fruit of different grades may be contained in the same package if the grade-mark to be placed on the package as hereinafter prescribed is that of the lower grade of fruit • contained in such package. Provided further that nothing in this 'clause

shall be construed to authorize the packing-together in one package of fruit of different kinds or of different varieties of the same kind of fruit. - 19. (1.) All fruit for export shall be properly wrapped in new paper having 'one or both surfaces glazed or in some other paper approved by the Director. (2.) Not more than two papers shall be wrapped round any one fruit. . 20. (1.) Wood-wool or corrugated strawboard shall be placed at the top and bottom of each case or tray in which the fruit is packed, but in such quantities only as shall be necessary for the protection of the contents. (2.) If in his opinion the quantity of wood-wool or corrugated strawboard used is excessive, the Inspector may reject the package for export until the matter has been remedied. 21. All fruit for export shall be properly packed on the diagonal or pocket pack system. ' • 22. All fruit-for export must be packed in clean new packages, which must be properly constructed of well-seasoned timber. - 23. The following are the types of packages which shall be used for the packing of fruit for export. ' . -

Apples.

(1.) Apples for export shall be packed in standard bushel cases.

Pears and Peaches.

(2.) Pears or peaches for export shall be packed in one of the following types of packages : —■ (a.) A standard half-bushel case. (&.) A package of three wooden trays strapped together, one above the other, each tray having an inside measurement of nf in. by 19! in., with a depth of from 2| in. , to 3 in. The straps shall be of wood Jin. thick and ii in. wide, secured to the ends of the trays, two straps to each end and flush with the sides of the package thus formed. The timber used for the construction of trays shall be of the same thickness as that prescribed for the standard bushel case. .The method of strapping the trays is shown in the diagram set out in the Second Schedule hereto.

BRANDING OF PACKAGES OF FRUIT.

24. Every package of fruit for export shall, before being sent to an appointed store for examination as hereinafter provided, be branded with the 'registeredexport brand of the owner of such fruit. ' - - . " ■ 25. The particulars in the export brand placed ' on any package .of fruit relating to the grade, size, -number, or variety of such fruit shall accurately describe the contents of such package, pro vided that a variation of not more than five per package shall be allowed in the number of fruit stated to be in package. ■ 26. No other brand or mark shall be placed on any package of fruit , to indicate the grade or quality of the contents of Such package than the . grademarks “ Extra Fancy ” and “ Fancy ” hereinbefore set out. - ' . . - - - . "27. No other brand or mark shall be placed on the same end of a package of fruit as the registered export brand.

EXAMINATION OF FRUIT 'AT. APPOINTED STORES.

28. (1.) The owner of fruit for export shall forward it, duly graded, packed, branded, and 'otherwise ■ dealt with in accordance with the provisions of these regulations to an appointed store not less than two working-days before shipment. (2.) He shall at the same time give to the Inspector at the appointed store to which the fruit has been sent* an advice-note in the form set out in the Third. Schedule hereto or to the effect thereof. ■ " 29. Every owner of fruit sending the same to any of the • appointed stores shall make his own arrangements for the transit of the. fruit to and from the store, and- also for its receipt, storage, opening up for examination, repacking, delivery, shipment, and any other service, including insurance and protection from damage: or loss of any kind. , ' . .- 30. (r.) For the purpose of determining whether the particulars set out in the export brand thereon correctly describe. the contents of packages of fruit submitted for examination at an appointed store, and whether all other requirements of these regulations in respect of such fruit have been complied with, the Inspector shall cause to be opened for examination 5 per centum of the packages in each line of fruit of the same variety and grade under the same export brandsubmitted, or such further number as he deems necessary. (2.) The decision of the Inspector in regard to the whole line shall be based on the result of his examination.

of the packages so opened, being in no case less than 5 per centum by number . of the line as aforesaid; ... ■ ■■■■ \ > ■■■■

> ■ 31. If after examining'such fruit the Inspector is satisfied that the .particulars set out in the export brand correctly describe the contents of the packages, and that all the other requirements of these regulations in respect of such fruit are complied with, he shall stamp each of the packages with a ■ stamp (herein , called the “ official export stamp ”), indicating that the contents have been officially passed for export, and shall issue to the owner of such fruit an export certificate in the form set out in the Fourth Schedule hereto.

32. (t.) If after examining such fruit the Inspector places it in a lower grade than that set out in the export brand on the packages he shall regrade such fruit, and shall cause to be erased the'grade-mark on the packages. (2.) If in such regrading the grade is • reduced from "Extra Fancy" to “ Fancy ” grade the Inspector may, on request from the owner of such fruit, have the grade allotted by him branded on the packages, and shall then stamp such . packages'' with the official export stamp, and shall issue an export certificate as hereinbefore provided. (3.) Failing such a request, or if in such regrading the grade is reduced below the standard of " Fancy " grade, the Inspector shall reject such fruit for export. . 33. If after examining such fruit the "Inspector is of opinion that the particulars set out in the export brand on the packages of such fruit, other than those relating to grade, do not correctly describe the contents of such packages, or that any other requirements of these regulations in respect of.such fruit. have not been complied with, he shall reject such fruit for export. — : - ■ 34. Notwithstanding■ the foregoing, provisions as to . the rejection of . fruit for export, nothing in these regulations shall be deemed to forbid -individual fruits taken out of packages of fruit rejected for export being repacked and resubmitted at -an appointed store if such individual fruits comply with the requirements of these regulations. ; - - ; 35. If any fruit sent to an appointed store ..is found to be diseased or infected fruit the Inspector shall condemn such fruit, which shall be destroyed or otherwise dealt with as the Inspector directs. The expense of such destruction or treatment shall be borne by the owner of the fruit. 36. Notification of any regrading, rejection, or condemnation of fruit for export shall be made immediately to the owner of such fruit by the Inspector. 37. No" person shall remove from any appointed store, except for the,purpose of immediately shipping it beyond New Zealand, any fruit'for which an export certificate .has been issued - unless the export certificate is surrendered to the Inspector and. the official export stamp upon the package or packages containing such fruit has been erased or cancelled to the. satisfaction of the Inspector. - 38. If any fruit which has been examined by an Inspector and passed for export has become, prior to' its export from the Dominion,. damaged, or in the opinion of an Inspector has deteriorated, the owner of such fruit shall, if and when directed by an Inspector to do- so, submit such fruit for re-examination, and. shall on demand surrender to the Inspector the export certificate issued in respect thereof. ' ... " - , ■ 39. In respect of fruit submitted for examination at an appointed store the decision of the Inspector as to grade, packing, branding, or other compliance with the provisions of these regulations shall be conclusive, and no action or other proceedings shall lie against an Inspector or other officer of the Crown, , or against the Crown, in respect of any erroneous decision -of the Inspector. - ■

PENALTI ES.

40. Every person who—(1) Forwards to an appointed store any fruit-which is noticeably at variance in any particular with the description of such fruit set out in the -export brand on the packages containing the same ; or (2) forwards to an ’ appointed store any fruit which is diseased or infected ; or (3) exports or attempts to export, or - forwards to an appointed store, any apples taken from trees which have not been planted out in the orchard at least seven years ; or (4) exports or attempts to export any fruit which has been rejected for export by an Inspector or for which no export certificate has been issued ; . or (5) exports or attempts to export or is concerned in exporting any fruit of a variety approved for export to a specified country or countries only, to any other country ; or (6) except as otherwise provided in these regulations, alters or obliterates wholly dr partially, or causes to be altered or obliterated, any official export stamp on any -package of fruit, or counterfeits or improperly impresses any official export

stamp on any package of ‘ fruit for export ; or (7) commits or is concerned in committing any breach of these regulations, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding Z20. , ■■ .

EXPORT BRAND FOR FRUIT.

ADVICE-NOTE SUBMITTING FRUIT— FOR --EXAMINATION PRIOR TO EXPORT. The Fruit,Inspector, , ■. ... - ' Department of Agriculture, '. In compliance with the regulations under the Orchard and Garden Diseases Act, 1908, and its amendments, I hereby submit for examination the undermentioned fruit for. export, which I have forwarded this day per ■ •; to' the appointed store belonging to ■ at . . . ■ ' ' ' - ' ", ' ' • Please send the export certificate to .

: EXPORT CERTIFICATE FOR FRUIT. I hereby certify that I have this day examined the undermentioned packages of ■ , and, having found the contents free from disease and in conformity with the description branded on the packages, have passed them for export, and have stamped the packages with the official export stamp

VARIETIES OF FRUIT APPROVED FOR EXPORT

In terms of the foregoing regulations the following varieties of fruit have been approved for export by the Minister of Agriculture : —

Apples. \ • Solid Red Varieties. Tasma. i Spitzenberg. Striped or Partial Red Varieties. Adams Pear main.’ Jonathan. Scarlet Pearmain.' Cox's Orange. Ribston Pippin. Statesman. Delicious. Rome Beauty. . Worcester Pearmain. Gravenstein. Scarlet Nonpareil. Yellow or Green Varieties. Cleopatra. London Pippin. Reinette du Canada. Dunn’s Favourite. ' Newtown Pippin. Sturmer Pippin. Golden Pippin. Parlin’s Beauty. Willie Sharp. Pears. Beurre Bose. Directeur Hardy. Marie Louise. Beurre Capiaumont. Durondeau. P. Barry. Beurre Clairgeau. Giblin’s Nelis. Twyford’s Monarch. Beurre d’Anjou. Glou Morceau. Winter Cole. Doyenne du Comice. Josephine de Malines. Winter Nelis. Peaches. Elberta. ; Kia Ora. Sea Eagle. Hobbs’s Late. Lippiatt’s Late Red. Sea Eagle Improved. James’s Cling. Paragon. Solway. Kalamazoo. - Prizetaker. Wheatland.

GOVERNMENT GUARANTEE AS TO EXPORT OF FRUIT.

In a Gazette notice, dated 16th February, 1920, the Minister of Agriculture notified that- the Government guarantees to shippers a net return of id. per pound net weight on all fresh fruit exported from New Zealand during the present season, provided that the guarantee shall apply only to shipments complying with the Government, stipulations and covered by a Government Inspector’s certificate.

Areas in Orchards, Gardens, Plantations, <Yc. —Particulars of the area in occupation in New Zealand under this class in 1918-19 (aggregated as 142,115 acres on the opposite page) are as follows: Commercial orchards —bearing, 14,182 acres; not bearing, 12,968 acres: orchards for private use only, 7,572 acres; vineyards, 213 acres; market gardens, 2,472 acres; nurseries and seed-gardens, 501 acres; private gardens and grounds about residences, 55,226 acres; plantations, 48,981 acres.

Shipping-mark. Registered Export Brand. Number of . Cases. Kind of Fruit. Variety of Fruit. Grade. Size. t .... ; ■(Address and date.) 'Signature.) ■ ?•)

THIRD SCHEDULE.— (Reg. 28.)

Number of Cases. Kind of Fruit. Variety. Grade. Export Brand. Shipping-mark. - - {Place and date.) Inspector.

FOURTH SCHEDULE.— (Reg. 31.)

' ■ < — 1917-18. 1918-19. Increase. Decrease. pulse Acres. 819, 169 Acres. 964 Acres. Acres. 68,205 and seed and green root crops 146 820,035 64,111 seed, hay, ensilage) Fallow 15,448,134 77-791 15.831.604 68,619 3 4; 9U72 805 14 96,550 Gardens, &c. plantations, 156,920 142,115 land 25,825,919 25,729,369 96,550 Totals 43,212,079 O 62 7

OCCUPATION AND USE OF LAND IN NEW ZEALAND: 1917-18 AND 1918-19.

Land District. Phormium and Native Grasses. Scrub, Growth. Standing Virgin Barren ductive Unimproved Occupied North Auckland . Hawke’s Bay Taranaki Wellington. Nelson Marlborough Westland Canterbury Otago Southland . Acres. 5,201 94 243 50 19,249 3 1, 6,669 i,947 i,734 4,668 Acres. 210 435,049 860 7 10,653 502,302 303 ,242,318 661 4,445,331 6,003,478 1,384,128 Acres. 810 829 346,766 65,698 282,345 151,552 209,599 65,995 105 207,522 8 ,495 1 Acres. 407,360 731,545 334, 4 325,900 448, 4o,436 6 995,846 239,000 123,709 ,631 Acres. 830 63,197 104,536 5,484 660 91 49,872 401,025 688 682128 207,379 128,329 Acres. 1,555,141 2,242,814 ,646,876 407,785 1,344,116 171 2,055,023 1,594,859 5,472,511 6,543,822 1,877,251 Totals . . 55,621 15,625,468 3,393,935 4,499,217 2,155,128 25,729,369 Statistics 1919.)

DETAILS OF UNIMPROVED LAND : 1918-19.