COOK ISLANDS FRUIT TRADE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 304, 21 December 1905, Page 3

COOK ISLANDS FRUIT TRADE.

PROPOSED STEAMER TO WELLINGTON NEGATIVED. I (From Our Own Correspondent.) I RAROTONGA, December 11, A meeting of growers and shippers of ' I fruit was held at the Courthouse, Raro- ! tonga, on December 5, at the instance of the Union Steamship Company for the | P 11 . 1 "! 5 . 086 °f obtaining an expression of opinion as to the advisability of running a direct steamer t,o Wellington with I fruit alternately with the Auckland service, that is two steamers a month, for j | about four months in each year. About 120 gentlemen were present, and at the request of the meeting Colonel Gudgeon I took the chair. ' The chairman told the meeting that it. had been called at the request of Mr Morrison, the local agent for the Union Steamship Co. He pointed out that if i a service such as was proposed were carried.out that the fruit would probably reach Wellington and the other Southern ports some days earlier than if the fruit were sent via Auckland. The company was anxious to know what would best suit shippers, and if the service were begun what months would be most desirable. Mr T. Shearman said that he was in favour of a fortnightly service, but uni less a suitable steamer were put on the service would result in failure both to the -shippers and to the company. He had heard that the Wainui was to be put on, and that vessel was unsuitable. Mr Morrison said that he had no word as to the steamer to be used. Mr Sharpe (Cook Islands Trading Co.), said' that he.did : not look with, favour on the ! fortnightly "service". which., in his opinion, would benefit neither the shippers or the U.S.S. Co. At present we had a service to Auckland, and thence a fairly expeditious service to the Southern ports. If the fortnightly service were "established ( then it would clash with the fruit imported from Fiji which as a rule arrived a fortnight after the steamer from Rarotonga. The proposed fortnightly service was not likely , to lead to an increase in exports of fruit from Rarotonga as the New Zealand market was fully supplied. A fortnightly service might, however, be desirable if the New Zealand Government put a duty on outside fruit; then a sufficient inducement would be offered to shippers and growers to increase their exports and they would obtain fairly remunerative prices. Another disadvantage of the fortnightly service for only some months iv the year would be that the trade would be disorganised through having two distributing centres, -while the fortnightly service was being run. Mr Shearnian: Fiji cannot send oranges. The voyage to Wellington would be cooler for the fruit than to Auckland. Although for market prices he would not ship to Wellington yet Wellington bad advantages for quick shipment to the more Southern ports. Mr Blame was of opinion that the new service should be given a fair trial. Mr Shearman moved that the Union Steamship Co. be asked to carry on a two-steamer monthly service alternately with Auckland and Wellington by means of a suitable steamer to commence in April next. Mr Kohn seconded the motion, which, on being put to the meeting, was lost, only three bands being held up in its favour. Dr. Gatley then moved, "That in the interest of shippers the Union Steamship Co. be requested to continue the present monthly service to Auckland, [ but by means of a faster steamer." Mr S. Davis (Cook Islands Trading Company) seconded Dr. Gatley's mo- ! tion, which, on being put to the meeting, was carried- . j The result-oi the above meeting nega- | Itiving.the proposed service to Wellington can hardly be taken as a true reflex ; of-the feeling of shippers generally on the matter. At the meeting only European growers and shippers were present, native growers and shippers for some reason being absent. The native account for fully two-fifths of the cargo shipped by or through Europeans. The opinion of native shippers would appear ,to be, after inquiry, in favour of a second steamer, but then on the other hand it must be stated that the natives i would probably agree with any proposal which would enable them to ship fruit even four times a month without a thought as to the consequences of overshipment, or a glutted and congested , market. • 1 Several European growers who were at the meeting, and who are knpw to air | I ways send their fruit to the Southern markets expressed themselves as satisfied to ship via Auckland, but only de-1 | sired a faster steamer.