FRUIT EXPORT.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18671, 21 April 1926, Page 10

FRUIT EXPORT.

GOVERNMENT GUARANTEE EXCEEDED. . SHIPPING SPACE SHORT. By last night it was anticipated that fruit offering- for export would reach the, 650,000 cases that the Government agreed to guarantee for the present season.: In.addition, the ayailable shipping space is all taken up, and relief in this respect is uncertain. Information on these points was contained in a telegram received yesterday by Mr F. W. Cone, Canterbury Director on the .New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation, from the secretary of the Federation. The text of the telegram follows: "The export position is very serious. ,The guarantee has been extended to 650,000 cases. The packed fruit in sight by to-night will exhaust this, ; as well as the available shipping space. , Growers packing after, to-day will do so at their own rigfi. Endeavours are being made to have the guarantee ■ further extended, and to secure more • shipping space, but neither are at alt hopeful. The latter, in any case, is . not likely to be available before June. • If the guarantee is not extended, • growers desiring to pack in the hope of space being available, must make arrangements for storage, and also ■ for finance for freight and pharges when shipped. Under the tircom- • stances the soundest advice is to stop : packing for export.- Advise all ex- . porters." • , <. Xxten&ion of the Guarantee. > Mr Cone explained that the Government originally proposed to guarantee 400,000 cases, but increased the total to 500,000 as the result of representations made by 1 the Federation, and ultimately increased it to 050,000, in- response to further. Front present indications it seemed that a further extension by at least another 100,000 cases, probably more,' was necessary.' In addition to, guaranteeing Id per lb, the Government also guaranteed preliminary charges,, including freight, totalling roughly about 9s per case. If the guarantee was not extended, it meant that growers . would . have to arrange tbig finance fqr themselves. As the result of the shortage of shipping ispace, Mr 'Cone • estimated that propably about between 1500 and 1800 cases of Canterbury apples would be shut out. Canterbury growers, he said, had' not been booking sufficient space, evidently thinking that space could be booked at a. moment's, notice, whereas it should be booked months ahead, in order to secpre. it. • He had; been ,in communication with the Federation, on ti\e subject of getting jboats to call at Lyttelton for ; Canterbury . apples. , A steamer was wanted about the middle of the present month, but he had been informed that non,e .would be available .till the 28th' inst,,, and that, it would be the last by which Canterbury fruit could be shipped this season. I<» ' . - nelson Apples. BY PORT HOBART (TXCSS ASSOCUTIOa fZUCOAUt.). , • ' ; ' - ! NELSON, April 20! . ' X ' mbVemettt, continues to • * lecure ; direct loading of' Nelson apples for England.,by the.Port Hobart, which •visits Nelson, at the .beginning cf May. The Minister, was interviewed, on the matter and promised to do everything possible. Space for 40,000 caf.es .haslieep secured in the, Port Hobart. liv ordinary circumstances. the Nolson fVuii would be to Wellington for 11 loading, although the steamer lies at Neilaoa wharf. In view of .the American apples flooding' the English mar kits, 'end the low. prices being realised for 'Kow' Zealand fruit, .it beoomea wore than ever neoessiry to cut down cs'peases' at the New Zealand end. and ' direct stifrinent from Nelson would sieve charges. ' It is pointed out th»t tlie Gcrvernmerit .»-vitally interested in view of the guarantee to reduoe the expenses of' shipping to tie lowest point posv ;- . , ; WOOL SALE. animated competition. • v ' (sneuf 70 "tn wiii.")' - ' TIMAJRU, April,2o. The.last.South Canterbury wool sale ( for this season wfia held in .Tinliiaru- today, when there "wis.a,full bench of buyers representing every section, of ;ths trade. ■ Tlie catalogue comprised. about 1500 bales and these, were disposed of ;in quick time,.* there being animated competition. The' bulk of; the • catalogue, comprised ; good back-country clips or merino, and haJfbreds .Vrhich, for: -this most part; were too late for the February sales.. -However, they opened in splendid condition. There was, of course, the usual quantity of stragglers wool in evidence, ,'bdt this showed very little seed. 1 The prices, were fully up to those' ruling at all other centres aur» ,ing recent sales and exceeded expecta- . tions in many, cases. , . Pieces, bellies,, crutchings, and oddments sold very well, chiefly to-New . Zealand scourerß. , All classes of fleeoe wools exceeded by up to 2d per lb Ihe prices, railing ,at the last,Timaru , sale. . , •. • The ,top price of the sale for merino ttool was laid, and the,keenest buyers were,those .from^Bradford, the Continent, and the United States of America. DAIRY CONTROL. PROPOSED ARRANGEMENTS FOR * • EXPORT. . (WUSS . ASSOCIATION TXUOBAIL) WELLINGTON, April 20. The "New Zealand Times" says that in the event of the proposed compulsory marketing scheme of the Dairy Produce Control Board'being brought' into force, toext season, all the agents ' have' agreed to . work for, 2 per cent, commission. In the. past, some of the agents, handling a .very large portion of the New Zealand butter output, charged only 2 per cent, commission, while .•, others * charged .2} per. cent. All the '. agents have now come into line,. and have agreed to a commission of 2 per cent, provided- the Control Board bears , all jthe expense of handling and shipping the produce from New . Zealand. This -would mean that the> Dairy Control Board would have to engage a very largp staff throughout New Zealand ' to attend' io advances, store warrants, ■ bills of lading/drafts, and' to keep detailed'accounts for each factory,' but it • is anticipated that the pavings effected W the' 'reduced commission will mors tnah cover the extra expanse incurred L..hy the ( Control-Board k at the New-Zea-