ORANGE SUPPLIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 137, 13 June 1938, Page 9

ORANGE SUPPLIES.

GOOD QUALITY FRUIT.

AVAILABLE TO-MORROW.

CONTROL OF MARKETING.

Supplies of Mangaia and Australian oranges, which Auckland merchants complained had been withheld by the Government, will lie available at the City Markets to-morrow. Replying to the merchants, Mr. F. I>. I'icot, Director of the Internal Marketing Department, stated this morning that the Mangaia fruit which arrived by the Matua had been withheld till they could be released in all centres at the same time. To-morrow morning Mangaia and Australian oranges "ill be selling wholesale throughout th<> Dominion. According to Mr. H. G. Staley, secretary of the New Zealand Kuropean Fruiterers' Association, who received Mr. I'icot s statement by telephone from Mr. A. Turner, of the Marketing Department, the superior Mangaia fruit was held till part of the Rarotongan supplies had been sold. This was the rational course to follow, he said, as the Rarotongan fruit had not the keeping qualities of

that from the outlying islands of the Cook Group. There was no foundation for the statement th.it the l>e«-t oranges went South and Aueklan<l was supplied with inferior fruit. Till this statement was issued Auckland merchants and retailers were under the impression that they were to lie burdened with a large quantity of inferior fruit till the market was cleared, and not till then supplied with good quality Matigaia and Australian oranges. They are still dissatisfied with the condition of the llarotongan fruit, a large percentage of which has to lie rejected by retailers. With the prices fixed l»y the Government this has resulted in a loss in some cases. The Government is in full control of the orange trade, importing the fruit on its own account for the merchants to distribute according to instructions issued liv the Director of Marketing. It is alleged that truTt is being packed in Rarotonga and sent to Xew Zealand which would never have been accepted when the iiiereliants imported on their own account.