Fruit Cargoes & Waterside Delays

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 105, 28 January 1938, Page 13

Fruit Cargoes & Waterside Delays

.Sir, —The recent ruination of several thousand cases of Otago apricots (reported in Wednesday’s papers) calls public attention once again to 'lie scandalously wasteful methods of handling perishable fruit at the ports of this Dominion. ~ , , , • It seems most inequitable that hardworking orehardists should cultivate their plantations, guard their immature crops day and night against frost, pick, grade and pack their fruit, only to learn . that their consignments return them a/ debit note because the watersiders decline to handle highly perishable gooes in wet weather or on holidays. The Government, I understand, has promised a certain amount of financial assistance to the fruit-growjng industry, and I shall be particularly interested to learn whether we are paying taxes to subsidise those unfortunate individuals whose fruit, lies ruined by the dictators of our wharves. . The Government cannot claim to _ oe ignorant of this sorry .state of affairs, for more than a year ago the Fruit Inquiry Committee presented a most thorough report dealing with , our whole industry id no less than six foolscap na-cs concerned the Otago stone-fruit industry, and particular reference was made to loss and deterioration caused by delays in handling at Wellington, an I they recommended (inter alia) that thwaterside workers should, be approached to arrange special gangs to unload cargoes of perishable fruit. I hay e yet to Rani that any such step has been taken, and it would be interesting to know if the Cabinet' considers this waste of rood fruit in accordance with their oft’%xpressed slogan, “The greatest good for all.”—-I a™, etc,. g COMMAN . Auckland. January 26.