ORANGES

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22104, 28 May 1937, Page 7

ORANGES

to rHB eniTo« o» th» pmm Sir,— Owing to having had Influenza, I have been unable to answer before this Mr G. S. Radley's reply to my letter which appeared in "The Press" of May 21. However, 1 wish to Question several statements made by him in that reply. Let me first take his statement that No wholesaler is making more than 10 per cent, commission on the sale of Australian oranges." If this is true, perhaps Mr Radlev will expalin to me Just what happens to the remaining 590 to 890 per cent, of the profits which I mentioned in my previous letter. As anyone knows, £3 to £4 10s (the price a case charged by the wholesaler) is decidedly more than a profit of 10 per cent, on 8s 6d (the total cost a case, landed at Christchurch). Another question I might ask Mr Radlev to answer is, whether oranges are imported direct from the growers, or through the Australian markets? Mr Radlev must realise that I have been very considerate to the wholesaler, and have worked out the cost a case at 8s 6d on the-Australian market price of ss, but if the oranges (as I expect is the case) are imported direct from the grower, the cost will be less than 8s 6d, and so make more profit. __ Mr Radley says. "Practically 75 per cent, of the oranges grown in Renmark are sold in New Zealand." I should be much obliged to him if he would tell me from where he obtained his figures, and how he makes his statement coincide with the fact that Renmark oranges are sold, not only in the big cities, but also in every small town, all over Australia, to say nothing of England. Does he mean to sav that there are more oranges consumed in New Zealand than there are in Australia? Incidentally the Renmark oranges which are imported into this country are, as Mr Radley surely knows, definitelv third or fourth grade and are sold only for the making of orange drinks in Australia. Mr Radley further states that "Oranges are seasonal in Australia, January to May being the off season. Only sufficient oranges are grown in Australia during this period to meet the country's own requirements, except in favourable seasons, when there may be a small quantity available." Does Mr Radley consider this season to have been favourable? Apparently not, as the price of oranges has been so high. Who is to blame for the exorbitant prices which the public in this country have to pay? Is ft the Government, or is it the wholesaler? Whoever it is, surely the people of New Zealand can demand much better treatment in the matter of oranges, since Australia can definitely supply the demand. It is high time that the people of New Zealand were given the facts of the orange question. Your readers, including Mr Radley. will probably remember that several months ago a party of Canterbury farmers visited Australia and made a tour of the orangegrowing districts. They were offered oranges at 5s a case, sent to New Zealand. Now, if a person can get a single case for ss, surely a consignment of several thousand cases would work out at considerably less. Therefore, once again,

as Mr Radley must agree, I have been very considerate to the wholesaler by allowing 5s a case,—Yours, etc., AUSSIE WIFE OF ENZEDDER. May 26, 1937. ["Australian oranges were selling last season at from 16s to 25s a case," said Mr G. S. Radley, when this letter was referred to him. "These were sent on a consignment basis by Australian growers who received the prices obtained, less 10 per cent, selling commission and transit costs. The first shipment of the season arrived in Christchurch last Wednesday, but this fruit was packed in bushel cases instead of the usual Californian case, which is larger, and these were sold at 16s a case, so the statement of £3 to £4 in the above letter is very wide of the mark. Renmark oranges marketed in New Zealand are strictly first class and are not third or fourth grade, and I am not aware that Renmark oranges are sold in every small town in Australia. A small quantity is exported to England, and Adelaide and Melbourne markets receive a portion, but definitely the best and largest proportion is sold throughout New Zealand."]

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sir,—l am sorry to read in your columns that Mr W. Machin intends to withdraw from the orange controversy. It has been both instructive and amusing. I should like to see the orange question debated in "The Press" till the Government gets sick of seeing it. Mr Machin and all other businessmen are well aware of how much it takes to cover overhead expenses, and I have yet to see the business that can be run on 10 per cent, profit, and pay overhead as well. If oranges were sold at reasonable prices there would be far more sold and there would be no need to waste the editor's time perusing letters on the subject. I trust that Mr Machin will keep at it, and also make it his business, through the Chamber of Commerce, to see that oranges and lemons are supplied to the public in much larger quantities and at prices that will suit the poor as well as the rich.—Yours, etc., ORANGES AND LEMONS. May 27, 1937.