AUSTRALIAN GRAPES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 120, 13 February 1908, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN GRAPES.

SHIPMENT-BY, THE;MARAMA./ Not a very large shipment of 'Sydney-sida grapes camt) to hand by the Marama yesterday, and what thero .were/did not show a marked improvement on the somewhat poor quality: tliat has been sent us since the lifting of the restriction - on, tho/importatiori of the fruit of , the , vine from, Australian States. -Still,- there: was an .improvement among those that-survived the voyage, " but some were • greatly deteriorated by the, close packing'ana' the condition' they must have been in when packed.. These brought as low a figure, as 2(1. ;and . 3d!'per pound at auction, while the best sorts that were free from bruise realised, us high as 6jd. arid 7d.'per pound. So far, we have , only had grapes from New South Wales, and there.is,just a possibility' of the proximity of the State to Wellington 1 ' and the consequently low cost /of-liaudling and' freight' being a bar to tha Dominion receiving tlie choicer' varieties of grapes; from South' Australia. . This is unfortunate, , as it was , theV representatives of South Australia whohavo persistently urged that - grapes< should be • allowed to be imported front' l 'that' 'phylloxera-free > State into New Zealand. At: the latest fair . grapes were being sold in ■ the' Sydney 'shdps.'.at 4d. per pound, good at 6d., and extra find Muscatels at 9d. Tho' fruit season' hll round : has not been good'in New South Wales,„and' all the fruit, including grapes, is considerably dearer than it usually, is' at this time of the year.