CHEAP GRAPES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 146, 14 March 1908, Page 7

CHEAP GRAPES.

NOT A PAYABLE TRADE. : Sqmp ; j throe i , hundredv;o(ld.peases of New; 'South- : .WaleS:-grape's "from by the Moeraki'oa Weditesday;.-and- on Thursda;y realised "6dj per lb"jiccopHiiig to 'oondition r and quality. • -Another three hundred cases Australian graphs arrived, via tho 'Bluttiyestarday'Srr. a -goodVloi and brought froni'-lOs.' to 165,": a;.case : (averaging -from. 221bs. to. 241b3'.. per case,' ,or from' 5-Jd. to 6Jd per lb ). ii'.SomQ-viri'quirieg'.wero made yesterday as' to how ; the. salo. ' of/ Australian grapes in vWel-lirigtbnl.was'ip'aying'-.the grower-Hthe maii \Vho . is struggling hard right throrigh a torrid Australian summer-to : keep .his-virieyards cleaii.' Tho. information 'gleaned jvas; anything but encouraging for., the -; grower,£ind, 'if, prices continue * as. at ■ present,- it. is - doubtful' if Now; Zealand, will bo considered a' market ' at- all nest.scasen. -' Tho position at present is that grapes -bought;'at from' 3d: to 4d.' pfr lb at auction' are now being retailedrat 6d: both in . shop and by-j tho street sellers,, 'and ; ' better, sorts that .bring 6d.; are being 'sold' at Bd. .and ;9d.' per lb.;This profit is-" only a fair. . otto to the.retailer,, as ..he' must, cer.-' ,tain quantity ■in handling and -through; the - over-ripeness 4 of-.tlieyfriiit, .but>'what ofi-tho -growerP- • ... -j;,;',; , v _ : j ■ _y,i; : ;,:; .Mr. . James,,-representing tho 'South Australian fruit-growers, in Wellington this week; .and, on-.his figuringj,: ho .could,not see. '.wheroy.the, grower/was,, going .to; -make :ari'y;thing. on:;tho;:prices;'grapes, vfere,, .bringing' at.present.... Growors expected., to .get. 2Jd. .or3d: per : :lb..-fpr.;'their frat at tlio vineyard.' •and when Id, pw lb. duty, Id. per,lb. freight,, and Id. per; lb. : /cartage,../commission, wore added, it : could', bo setsn, that to mako a ;fair profit at, ; all thp grapes, at. 6d. per lb., at.auction:' 1 As large 'quantities •of' imported' grapes' hav«..been-sold/at. half that' price lately' the 'grower "could'''not help' but suffer. •Ho iwas not free, from blamo;'himsolf, as the 'Sydiiey ; grapes are packed' to New Zealand precisely the same'as if they were for the Sydney, market, , with the. resuft ; that by the iiino tpey' had crossed' tho'briny TaSman ;the ; ,vi.bratioa of ,the ; ship. had causedtHe; lower, laye're; ,to; fiweat/. arid many .that, the market were not fit .for consump- ■ tion for/that, regard to -South Australian; grapes,,,was much better/; owing to the fruit being packed in granulated cork, but, still sqmo,"of. : the grapes.; had not roalised; ,6d., .and that meant ,a .loss, as. th,o. I freight charges'...were heavier ; from . Adelaide than from.Sydney. , ' V,;.:': 1 Mr.. James said that tho fruit-growo.rs were, New, Zealand,a trial for,the 1 -first; season:;, As ; '.t-o ,tho permanency. of the trade —it was .purely ■ a matter;, of. 'prices.:,. •• / POSITION' IN AUCKLAND, y y y (Br iELECßArii—rnisg abso^IATION,)' '■ v" - , '-;/■• : - Auckland, March 13: .; ;;.Tho,' abundance'of local grapes obtained by ,'thd fine; season 1 and tlie. large/demand and .good -prices/ruling/ deSpito'; Australian' importations/'induced/Auckland growers' to place very : large' quantities on tho market' .which otherwise would have .been converted into ! wine./'.Some ' splendid samples Sold re-' .tail at 6d. per pound.'' 'A finis crop of golden Chasselas - from'. th 6 Government farm' ,at . Waorenga sold ! at '4id. to'SJd. per .'pburid at', auction; while South Australian /grapes ;: only, brought ssV,to' 7s. per, 301b;,case;