FRUIT FROM TONGA

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 69, 15 December 1931, Page 9

FRUIT FROM TONGA

First Shipment at Auckland MONTHLY DIRECT SERVICE After being suspended for over 17 years, the fruit trade between Tonga and Auckland has been resumed. Arrangements have been made between the Tongan Government and the Union Company to provide a monthly cargo steamer from Tonga to Auckland as long as any fruit is available. The first shipment of fruit reached Auckland on Saturday by the Waihemo, which called at Tonga en route from Los Angeles to Auckland. She brought 2000 cases of bananas and 300 cases of pineapples. Before the war the Union Company maintained a passenger and cargo service front Auckland to Sydney via Tonga, Samoa, and Fiji, with two steamers. On the return trip the vessels proceeded from Sydney to Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Auckland, and when this service was abandoned Tonga lost its direct connection with Auckland. About this time the value of copra rose, and the two circumstances induced the Tongans to concentrate on copra, banana planting ceasing. Orange growing was also abandoned, owing to the fruit becoming infested with fruit fly. During the last few years the price of copra has fallen to such an extent that It Is no longer profitable, and efforts have been made t 6 revive fruit growing. To send a large quantity of fruit from Tonga to Auckland by the Tofua on her present route Is not practicable, the fruit having to be kept on the vessel for about 14 days, as she calls at Samoa and Fiji on the run from Tonga to Auckland. In spite of this a few trial shipments of bananas', have been brought from Tonga tel Auckland recently, and have been land-', ed in splendid condition. By the new? service the fruit will be brought toj Auckland in fine days, and it is expected that shipments will increase. The next steamer in the new service will be the Karetu, which will leave Sydney on December 22 for Fiji, Tonga, and Auckland.