Evening Post 13 December 1912
TOMATO-GROWERS CONFER
RAVAGES OF BLIGHT.
In view of the havoc wrought upon tomato crops in the Hutt Valley by blight the season, a large meeting of growers was held in Epuni Hamlet, Lower Hutt, last evening. Mr. T. M. Wilford was voted to the chair.
A lengthy discussion on the subject tooK place, and the outcome was that the Hutt Valley Tomato Growers” Association was formed, and it was resolved that the executive should wait on the Prime Minister as soon as possible, and place the matter before him.
The executive set up is as follows, Messrs. Howard, Brassell, Tilbury, Dorne, Pemberton, and Martin.
The following motion was carried on the motion of Mr. Brassell, seconded by Mr. Howard:- “That, as the successful growing of tomatoes is of great importance to the growers in New Zealand and the public, this meeting resolves that the time has arrived when the Government should be approached and requested to establish an experimental glasshouse for the growing of tomatoes, and also the undertaking of field experiments, so that the various diseases affecting tomatoes may be Watched and controlled, and eventually destroyed; and that the Government be requested to communicate with other countries, in order, if possible, to discover a remedy.”
At the conclusion of the meeting a hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Wilford for calling the meeting and presiding.