HASTINGS ASSEMBLING SHED.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 59, Issue 34, 12 March 1930, Page 5

HASTINGS ASSEMBLING SHED.

H. M. THOMPSON.

(To the Editor.) Sir, — It is the same old story. As soon as a big blunder is made someone gets it in the neck and the Government officials are getting it from the leading lights in the Hawke's Bay fruit world over the assembling shed now being erected. It is stated that Hawke's Bay is the only exporting centre without assembling sheds. Well, does it follow that we should do a thing because other districts do? The other districts are not so well situated as we are. The whole of the exporters are within six miles of Hastings, except two, one at Greenmeadows and one at Waipawa, wliereas the other districts are twenty tc thirty miles away in all directions from the centre. Therefore the assembling shed in Hastings is unnecessary and unwarranted. The proper place for inspection is in the orcliaid, when the inspector can do two jo'bs at once, viz:, pass or reject lines ready and give advice on the next line ready. The fruitgrowers have the power to say where the inspection is to be but in the present case we have been badly bluffed. At our conferences for years past it has been stressed tliat to place fruit in its best condition on the markefs it should he handled as little as possible and now the leading -lights are going to pitch the stuff about in a shed called an assembling shed about seven of eigbt times more tban the old system'and it's going to cost at least 2d to 3d per case to do it (perhaps they want to squeeze the small grower ont of exporting). If we a-re to do as other districts do, why don't we follow Otago and cut out control and receive the extra cash per case oyer other districts. Otago growers have had this some time and this year they have made f.o.b. saies about 2s 6d per case higher than tlie Control Board made, and without tlie restrictions placed on the Control Board by the Hamburg buyers of Dunn's, viz,, if we buy the best size Dunn's, no Dunn's to 'oe placed on our open markets. As regards misleading statements, I don't tbink anything could be more, misleading tban tbe statement in a letter' by Mr Robertson and Mr Baumgaa't, that, at a meeting of about 100 growers, only six raised their hands against tlie motion. This is not true, as the meeting was so hostile Mr Paynter declared the motiop passed on the voices. The proper 'method of showing hands was considered unnecessary in such an lmportant matter. Fully 75 per cent. of the growers are against the assemblina sbeds, wliich means a waste of good money on every case of fruit passing through. What I would like to-know is what use will the shed be when the Govrnment withdraw the export guarantee, or when we get direct shipping from Napier? — 1

am, etc,

Pakowhai, March 12, 1930.