CHARGE ON PRODUCE CASES

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24270, 30 May 1944, Page 6

CHARGE ON PRODUCE CASES

REMOVAL BY CHRISTCHURCH BROKERS The receiving and delivering charge of Id made by fruit and produce brokers on ali standard containers received in the Christchurch markets will not be continued as from June 1. Advice of the brokers’ decision was received yesterday by the president of the Canterbury Commercial Gardeners’ Association (Mr G. A. Knowles) from the secretary of the Christchurch Fruit and Produce Brokers’ Association (Mr B. Taylor). Mr Knowles said that representatives of the growers had met the brokers last week and had suggested that the charge might be lifted. The charge had been in existence for many years, and the growers had always considered it an injustice, as it had been imposed irrespective of the size or value of the container. For instance, the charge on 1000 cases of tomatoes added £4 3s 4d extra to growers’ costs. A co-operative firm in Wellington was the first to remove the charge, and had suggested that other brokers should fall into line. Recently they had done this, anti as a result the Canterbury growers had asked the Christchurch brokers to do something about the charge. In his letter to Mr Knowles, the secretary of the brokers’ organisation said he had been asked by his members to express their pleasure at the amicable feeling prevailing, and expressed at the meeting, and to say that the continuation of such a reasonable business relationship would be to the mutual be of everybody concerned. mn The sewers of our organisation are IW) per cent behind the brokers in supporting the auction principle for fruit and vegetables, and the brokers TOPniT 0n °* r -, ful . 1 support in the event of any outside interference with the present system,” said Mr Knowles in comment on the letter