APPLE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 103, 3 May 1935, Page 5

APPLE DAY.

NEW ZEALAND FRUIT.

CEREMONY IN LONDON. «

(By NELLE M. SCANLAN.)

LONDON, April M. Mr. Malcolm Mac Donald, son of the Prime Minister, said that New Zealanders were far too modest about their country and . their produce. I fancy our apples must share this vice—or is it a virtue? Massed in decorative boxes and baskets, they filled the windows of New Zealand House, and they appeared to blush before the hungry admiration of London's eyes. In the hall, against an effective background of New Zealand scenery, more boxes and baskets were arranged, for this was Apple Day in London, the opening of the New Zealand fruit season. And in the centre of the fruit was one special basket tied with crimson ribbon, which Sir James Parr presented to Lady Hewart when she declared the season open. Sir James paid a glowing tribute to the New Zealand fruit growers, to their industry and enterprise in the face of poor financial returns, and also to Mr. Turner, London manager of the Fruit Board. Sir Janies remarked that fyie fruit grower got less than a penny' a pound, while the apples were sold for as much as 7d and up to lOd per pound in London. The difference between what the producer' receives, and what the retail purchaser pays, was far too great. England's fruit bill is £27,000,000 a year. Of this the Dominions receive £11,500.000, foreign countries £15,0t0,000. Of the Dominions' share, Canada gets £2,000,000, Australia £2,000,000, and South Africa, £2,000,000. New Zealand's share is only £600,000. Last Year's Agreement. Sir James also mentioned a meeting between the English fruit growers and New Zealand authorities last year, when a mutual arrangement had been reached, which, had resulted in New Zealand

allowing the English grower a clear market during his own season, and so regulating supplies of apples from New Zealand that no glut in the market should force down prices, but by a judicious restriction ensure better prices for all. Sir James suggested that this method of mutual agreement might well be tried by other industries. Mr. Malcolm MaaDonald stated with much emphasis that New Zealand was far too modest about herself. "You New Zealanders don't talk enough about your country and your produce." Holding the balance neatly between the North and the South Islands, he referred to the scenic beauties, the mountain grandeur and the great variety of interesting sights. Mr. Mac Donald said he had often tried to decide which, of all the wonderful things he had seen out there, was the most memorable. He spoke of the Hockstetter Ice Fall, with its deep ice-blue caves, bridges of ice like glass, linking the banks of deep ice caverns. Then he passed to the Waitomo Caves, and the unbelievalie loveliness of the glowworms.

A New Zealand Menu. Lady Hewart spoke of the appropriateness of having a woman to open the apple season, as it was the women who were responsible for household expenditure, and were obliged to get the best value for their money—often little enough—and the best value was obtained by purchasing New Zealand butter, meat, apples, honey and cheese. Lady Hewart said that her menu for a New Zealand dinner, which she found was much appreciated by her English friends, was: "Toheroa soup, New Zealand mutton, passion fruit, cream and cheese savoury." Lady Hewart, who is a New Zealander, and the wife of the Lord Chief Justice of England, surprised many, though I saw a number of heads nodding in agreement, when she said that to test a Cox's Orange Pippin, you should rattle it. It it doesn't rattle, it isn't a Cox's Orange Pippin. Since she told her husband this, she said, he took a great delight in always rattling the apples when he went into a shop. Quite a number of New Zealanders were present at the little ceremony, and each was presented with a small bag of Cox's Orange Pippins, when the rattling i test promptly began- 1