The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

GROWERS: APPROVA GVBEN AT HAMLTON T0 SOMERSET REPORT Some Adverse Criticism Is Heard, But Majority Favor Proposals He then briefiy recommended the drafting of definite crop programs, in-- creased production for increased market demands, central packing and cold-- storage plants, toward which the Gov-- ernment would give financial assistance; The remaining recommendations in the report, it was suggested, had to do with matters the Growers' Markets Council could deal with when such a body comes into being. A number pres-- ent were in favor of only these two recommendations of the report being adopted at this time, but the majority felt that, in common gratitude to Mr. Somerset and to the Ontario Govern-- ment, the report should either be adopt-- ed as a whole or rejected. Mr. Somerset went over his report in detail, and analyzed the various phases dealt with. In summing up, he said he felt that the two most pressing needs confronting the fruit and vegetable growers of Ontario were: That they should organize in some way and regis-- ter their membership; and, secondly, es-- tablish a Markets Council. Distribution and marketing were the most difficult problems to overcome if the industry was to be stabilized. These are as follows: 1. That a Fruit and Vegetable Growers' Markeis Council be established to deal with marketing problems. That this Counc:l have a permanent paid Secretary, and that a local Secretary be appointed for each district. The Council to have an Executive Committee and power to ap-- point committees to study and de2! with the different problems involved. 2. That all commercial fruit and vege-- table growers in Ontario be registered and required to place their registered number on all packages they market. That some small registration fee per acre be charged, and all findings, ad-- vice and recommendations of this Markets Council be made available to all registered growers. Registration fees to be made available for growers' purposes. Leave Rest to Council. ¥ MA Y ¥ € & V WR ET E t v"_'___ The report then was thrown open for discussion. E. R. Bond of Mount TAR'FFS ARE D'SCUSSED Brydges said that from the standpoint of the apple grower he believed the m mm establishment of a Markets Council (Staff Correspondence of The Globe.) Would prove a good thing, but in order Hamilton, Feb. 25. --By a vote of to function properly it would need con-- 126 to 30, delegates to the annual con-- Siderable capital, and he feared that vention of the Fruit Growers' Associ-- the proposed tax of 25 cents per acre ation of Ontario and the Niagara On &8rowers, who were members, would Peninsula Fruit Growers' Association Prove quite inadequate. Moreover, he this evening adopted the Somerset re-- believed that the average grower was port on the marketing situation in bearing just about all he could in the Ontario. Some pointed opposition was WAY of taxes. If financial assistance offered to the report, but this appeared NS forthcoming from both the Domin-- to represent the minority of the two ion and the Ontario Governments to-- associations, and the majority felt that WArd the establishment of a Markets the proposed tax of 25 cents an acre Council, then he believed the project on members was a trivial matter when WOuld succeed. Sales offices in East-- compared with the benefit that would °D and Western Canada also would be accrue from the carrying out of the 4 £004 thing, but Mr. Bond thought recommendations contained in the re-- these offices should be staffed by the port. Ontario Department of Agriculture. He Delegates also expressed themselves hoped that all sales for outside markets as agreeing that the two most vital would be on the f.0.b. basis. It also recommendations of the fourteen con-- WOuld help improve conditions if the tained in the report by Commissioner FTuit Branch at Ottawa made it com-- W. B. Somerset were the first and sec-- PWsory that all open packages should ond, so far as the growers wore conm. be graded. He was not keen on the cerned. | prospect of collective purchase of sup-- These are as follows: 1. That a P'es, as he feared the small basket-- Fruit and Vegetable Growers' Markeis maker or barrel--maker would be frozen Council be established to deal with Out and a monopoly created that would marketing problems. That this Counc:l result, ultimately, in higher prices for haun a nermanant nald Senratary anp| Sucth supplies,. Delegates also expressed themselves as agreeing that the two most vital recommendations of the fourteen con-- tained in the report by Commissioner W. B. Somerset were the first and sec-- ond, so far as the growers were con-- cerned. advertising: better 'relations M'm neries and wineries, and solution of the recurrent chaos consequent upon sur-- plus and glutted markets. There really . was no reason for a surplus, he said, as 'the local markets could be increased | greatly by systematic marketing. The removal of low--grade products from 'markets was another recommendation. Collective purchasing of fertilizers, con-- tainers and other supplies all would help to reduce the costs of production. The system of blind consignment sales , had been condemned by wholesalers, ) who said it was ruinous to them and the growers alike, as it demoralized the market. Thinks Tax Inadequate. A. M. Cox, Winona, severely criticized the Somerset report and termed it a superficial document that did not deal with the fundamental economic prob-- lems with which the average grower was faced. A few others also opposed the report, but it was made clear to them by H. L. Craise, President, that the pro-- posed Markets Council would exist merely to promote sales and find mar-- kets. It would not entangle the grow-- ers in any way. No Selfishness. Colonel William Andrews of Beams-- ville urged the growers not to argue over the proposed tax of 25 cents an acre, which, he said, was nothing when compared with the bensfits the growers would derive. '"We must not be selfishly individualistic in this matter," he said, "for we have got to realize that if the other fellow has a surplus, and cannot sell, then his plight has almost as seri-- ous an effect upon us as it nas upon him. I contend that the unsold surplus, which is always occurring, is our great problem. Personally, I endorse the Somerset report in full.". James E. Johnson of Simcoe said: "We, as fruit growers, cannot afford not to approve this report. The tax of 25 cents an scre is nothing. I move that we get down to business and adopt this report in full without further discus-- reports in full without further discus-- The opportunity which exists in On-- sion." tario and other parts of Canada for the In reporting for the Commiltee on establishment of a cider industry, sim-- cotied t Commnedionc: iofi oc ht t Ahat in Emeland was »lfsmbl 8 ® £510 f a 1 § a s hoped next year to have a device that g'ta' paper prepared b',:,N,Ir B. Davis gi would determine by sugar content when OfAW& and read by W. T. Macoun y fruit was immature. 'The convention OttaW®. Apple growers would be able voted down a recommendation that 0 S¢ll most of their low--grade apples truckers and shippers of fruit and vege-- with such an.industry in this county. tables be bonded and licensed. Dele-- Experiments were.Being made and there was no doubt the project was feasible, Mr. Davis stated. / 26 ("Wates, however, did favor jobbers and |comtnission merchants being bonded and licensed, but that truckers be only li-- | censed, and the fee be $5 a year. | Equipment Tariff. Mr. Fisher explained that there is now a tariff of 25 per cent. on spraying equipment, apple--graders, apple--wipers, etc., coming from the United Etates. The previous duty was only 10 per cent., but last fall the Bennett Government increased it to 25 per cent. As only a small volume of insecticides and spray-- ing equipment, apple--graders, etc., were made in Canada, and thus there were no Canadian industries to protect, did the growers want this duty removed or left as it was? Mr. Fisher asked. John Bridgman and Colonel Armand Smith of Winona said the growers should be consistent. They had asked for protection of their own products and had obktained it, and they would lay themselves open for criticism, it was feared, if they asked for free trage on equipment they needea. Finally the convention adopted a resolution that the Federal Covern-- mert be acked to remove ths 153 per cont. additional duty imposed last autumn and leave the tariif at 19 per cent., as it was originally. Other papers dealt with at the morn-- ing session included "Summer Sprays and Spray Practices," by Dr. H. W. Dye of Middleport, N.Y.; "The Ontario Fruit Industry, From the Buyer's Stand-- point," by Karl B. Conger of Ottawa, and the report of the Traflic Committee, by Colonel H. L. Roberts of Grimsby, who said the railways had agreed not to withdraw the commodity rates on apples between Ontario and Western points. -- Mr. Fisher then toid of how the Horticultural Council last fail had &p-- proached the Federal Government and urged, in behalf of Ontario can-- ners, that the dump duty on pears from the United States be removed, as sup-- plies here were exhausted, and the can-- ners had to obtain American peats to complete their packs. Did the dele-- gates, Mr. Fisher asked, favor similar action being taken this fall o aid the canners? By a vote the convention showed it was not in favor of such action, as it was felt that plenty of pears would be available heie for Ou-- tario canners, provided they cifered a decent price. Mr. Fisher Resigns. Hon. T. L. Kennedy, Minister o Agricuiture for Ontario, addressed dele-- gates at the noon luncheon, and paid tribute to Commissioner Somerset for his report, which the Prime Minister of Ontario had characterized as a dis-- tinct contribution to the welfare of the fruit growers of the Province. Colonel Kennedy said that a bill, incorporating certain recommendation of benefit to the fruit growers, would shortly be submitted to the Legislature. It was the duty of the Government, he said, to do something for the farmers, and he urged the growers to co--operate with the Government to bring about the improvements asked for. J. B. Fairbairn, DBeputy Minister of Agriculture, also spoke of the Somerse: report, and commended it to the care-- ful attention of all growers. Cider Industry. Mr. Fisher, with some trace of an-- noyance, then announced his resigna-- tion as Chairman of the Committse on Legislation. He had tried to serve the growers for the past nine years in that position, he said, but apparently had not succeeded. The meeting tendered him a hcarty vote of thanks for his services. Delegates approved of an application being made to have the {freight rates on live sulphur and cther spray ma-- terial reduced to the same level as fertilizers.