FIXED PRICES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 99, 29 April 1939, Page 7

FIXED PRICES.

MSMON MARKETING. GOVERNMENT CONTROL PLAN. TO COMMENCE ON MONDAY. Tlie whole of Xew Zealand's lemon crop will be handled by the Government from Monday, when the new marketing scheme comes into effect. The fruit will be bought at fixed prices from growers and cured, graded and packed by the Internal Marketing Division at the Kerikcri, Auckland, Gisborne, Tauranga J and Wellington sheds which will be taken over during the week-end. The operation of the scheme was explained to a large meeting of growers at the Chamlier of Commerce yesterday by Mr. A. H. Honeyfield, manager of the Auckland branch of the Internal Marketing Division. The Auckland Citrus Growers' Association arranged the meeting and Mr. ■I. A. Lambden presided. Mr. Honeyfield said the prices at which tlie Internal Marketing Division would take lemons delivered to and accepted by the department for sale in accordance with tlie regulations would be as follows: — Kxtra, fancy grade, 6/9 a measure casef fancy grade, 5/3; good grade and' small grade, 4/.">; peel lemons affected! with skin blemish not exceeding 10 per j cent, of the surface of any one lemon, 1 !<1 per lb.; lemons affected with skin! blemish exceeding 10 per cent, but not exceeding 33 1-3 per cent, of the surface of any one lemon, Id per lb.; juice lemons, Id per lb. A measure case, Mr. Honeyfield continned, was one which when loose-packed with fresh lemons would yield a threequarter bushel case of cured and packed leni..:is. Approval of Growers. Mr. IToneylield said that on and after .Monday no producer would sell any lemons harvested on or after that day, unless a sale was made in accordance j with the regulations. A producer could sell to any person purchasing for his own use but not for resale, if the producer sold at his orchard and delivery was taken there by the purchaser. Any additional charges, other than grading charges and services incidental j to grading in making suitable for the market lemons not properly picked, packed or mishandled would be deducted from the money payable to the producer. Empty cases would be removed by tlie producer from the sheds of the Internal Marketing Division within seven days of the time be received particulars as to grades and prices for lemons delivered by him. The chairman, in moving a vote of thanks to Mr. Honeytield, wished the Internal Marketing Division every success in the operation of the regulations. A vote of thanks to Mr. Honeyfield was carried unanimously. The meeting passed a resolution approving of the financing of the Auckland Citrus Growers' Association by means of a case levy to be deducted by the Internal Marketing Division and p;'id to the association; also that the levy should be made from year to year, with a minimum of 5/ a grower, sufficient to produce in the aggregate an amount to meet the outgoings of the association.