i13 
Co-operation in Marketing Fruit. — 
SUMMARISING an important paper on this subject read by Mr. A. Lorie, 
General Manager of the Teviot and Alexandra Fruitgrowing Company, 
(Limited) at the Conference of Australasian Fruitgrowers held at Wellington 
(N. Z.) in May, 1896, we notice more particularly the following points which 
should commend themselves to our Queensland fruitgrowers :— 
Co-operation, Mr. Lorie said, was no new thing in New Zealand, but 
it was only when the Teviot men tackled the entire question that it was 
pulled through successfully. The slipshod system of disposing of orchard 
produce prior to the year 1890 was described and condemned. When the 
rapialy increasing output taxed the growers beyond the capability of their 
resources they requested the writer to propose a system by which a reliable 
market could be found. ‘The task was one of great difficulty; the supply 
already exceeded the local demand even with the support of the jam factories. 
But as a set-off, it only required the splendid qualities of the Teviot fruit to 
be known to secure a wider market. 
But the first attempt to organise and consolidate the Teviot frnit- 
growers ended in failure, owing to vested interests. Those who had established 
a trade of their own hesitated to give up their connection, which had taken 
years to establish. So much was done, however, that four systems of disposing 
of the produce were tried during the next season. <A. portion was sold by the 
growers themselves, another portion was consigned to retailers, and the 
remainder was divided between Mr. Lorie and another salesman. 
Naturally, fierce competition arose between rival salesmen and the locally 
established grower; but in the end it was decided by growers that Mr. Lorie’s 
returns were the most satisfactory, and he was again asked to try and induce 
the Teviot men to unite and form a co-operative association. Then other diffi- 
culties arose, and reasons were given why one or the other should not sign an 
agreement. inally, he made the growers a cash offer for the whole output of 
their district, the prices being those they had received last season less 10 per 
cent, commission. But one dissentient, who would not bind himself for ten 
years to sell to Mr. Lorie, was the fly in the ointment. The negotiations were 
broken off on that basis and a fresh start was made. The growers now agreed, 
under a penalty of £100, to send all their produce to him for sale, and thus the 
Teviot and Alexandra Fruitgrowing Association was formed in 1891-92. 
Now arose difficulties with the factories, which refused to buy except direct 
from individuals. The retailers took the same stand. Eventually they were 
satisfied that they would receive fair play, and the association at the end of the 
season had to congratulate themselves on entire success. Prices had improved, 
and although 116} tons of fruit were received, none was lost by decay. 
The season 1893-94 opened with a very heavy yield, and growers became 
anxious as to the disposal of such large quantities of fruit. But all went well; 
eyery case was sold at good prices, when suddenly all was ruined by one 
grower consigning the remainder of his fruit to an outside firm. Prices 
collapsed, and the T. and A.I.A. became a thing of the past. 
Once more Mr. Lorie undertook to organise the growers, this time on a foot- 
ing which would admit of no treason. An agreement was drawn up by Sir Robert 
Stout, who instructed the growers that in order to get a legal status it would 
be necessary to register as a public company, which was accordingly done. 
None but fruitgrowers were eligible as shareholders, and even they were only 
