THE GRAPES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 108, 30 January 1908, Page 2

THE GRAPES.

A HASTILY-SHIPPED CARGO.- p • The. grapes which - arrived - from 'Australia::-, yesterday morning -'ghowed - abundant feigns--6f the' hasty 'dispatch 'Which/wis unavoicwsle v;v. mi tlio first" ehipuictnt, ov/inc" tov.thoi short;.-* r notice as (to ,tho lifting of theprohibition! - v,' The. shipment consißtecl . of about 200; small'-. Ijoxos, -consigned olncfly ;to the;follawing.fr': v Messrs. George Thomas; 118 .'.(ioxos ; Messrs* ; Griffiths ;a|id Co.; 44 ;.'Mcssr3. .TowlisenU!and Paul,- 31; Messrs.; Thomson ;; ■ ■ >\ The grapes,. though saleable,i had,'suffered from, heating' and jolting;:' and ; -juioo covcted tli<? bottoms of the lioKes. i. Maiiy of .tho beiv nog in: some of tho, bunches-. werjD iott?d,i and squashed,aiicl' -a, fiiio' growth, somewhat y roflsmblints -fino- cobweli:*existed insido: the bundles. 'This 1 is a char- : nctonstic sign' of. heating, . and strongly'.colir's;: firms the conclusion -that - the gtapeii 'which l „ ;j tho,.'Winunora brought had: bceiu'gatheredr hastily from -tho .Sydney ju6t,m 1 tunc to catch tho steamer.-'.lfccisi .porhapsjV' . unfortunate', that ,tho first sample? .should havo arrived < under such unfavourable 1 cpn--ditions. , But future lots may. bo. expected^,' : arrive in, good dessert order. Pcople.-who \ purchasp any. of tho .present grapes ■ may !liko- : to 1 knoiv: that; the mould,' though altlo,: will produce no had c(fccts ; .on ■ the eaU • ■ ors of the grapes. Tho grapes', worelexam-***' mod in accordance with tho prlctiee which'' rules in regard to. all ipi ported:, fruit,: chief pests to bo sought lor-arp 1 phylloxera ;' fruit-fly, mealy bug,- and black- wot,' by all ' of which. Now Zealand ii -already lufootfoi oxcept ■ the fruit-fly. Among- tho'.present-! "vipes there were a fow. and ailtß' •» "tiknehes. These things, their, lja-\ ( dity to harbefflr disease,; must be 'kept/ out ■ 'in futuro, or, tho shipments ,wlll, bo jm d3n»~ | gcr of rojcotion by thflanppcotorß.-<:.;'-"i i' Tho ; grapos vrero sold mitho.salerooms^for- I from 4d. to 7jd. per lb./and-(for one line) I 9d. They were marked up ii\ tho' shops.af- 1 terwards at 6d. and 9d. per lb. : ' ?.- . v - . j Locally-grown hot-housa grapes, ;< which'."l hitherto fetched Is. (id, wholesale, were sold j at' Bd. to Wd.. Tho effect op the price of. i tho:; local artiplo will no , doubt" be i still fur* i ther noticed when the bigger consignment. : arnves next 'Wednesday. In speakmg to an: interviewer'in: Auckland , concerning the removal of tho v embargo oil thoimportation of Australian* grapes; Mr. M'Nab . said that grapes iwere . the" f best' of 1 all fruit, but hitherto a. great'many, people j had: been: unablev-.to got,even• a sipell;' let ! alono a taste, of thorn. I" a Government had decided to'admit the gri,. w at a duty of one ••! penny : a pojwl. .He did' not;think '.fha'Now : Zealand -gr.v .-s woul()i bo unable to'oompeta : with .thcji --'rahan-article, "as he. had-: seen • grapes . grown at Hokianga and sold- for ■; threepence a pound , 1