THE PRICE OF FRUIT

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 154, 27 December 1918, Page 7

THE PRICE OF FRUIT

TO THE EBITOK.

Sir, —Most people are of a. genetous disposition at Christmas time—more or loss—and perhaps less likely to quibble about price when purchasing the little extras) usual at this season of the yea?. But 1/think the majority of your readers will agree that the fruiterers have taken advantage of this spirit by the price that has been asked for fruit during the holidays. Until quite recently the best .brands of apples could be procured for Bd per pound, "whilst the iuling price on Christmas Eve was Is per pound, an advance of 100 per cent. This price works out at about 3d each, roughly. Now, a person paying 3d per piece for apples naturally expects to get something at least eatable; but that was liot my experience, for out of a bag alleged to 'contain two pcinds of apples, for which I paid 2s, three were quite unfit to eat, so that my apples practically cost me Sd each. And yet we read in the daily press that fruitgrowers are feeding pigs with wholesome fruit, as it does not pay to put it on the market. Now, the point I and a good many more would like to know is, who is i reaping the harvest? Will some person of authority connected with the Fruitgrowers' Association, or any other reliable source, publish the actual figures showin" what the grower receives and | what the purchaser pays? It would make interesting reading. I am not insinuating that the" public is being exploited, because our Board of Trade has solemnly declared that exploitation is i not being practised in New Zealand; bu4.' it would be interesting to know what the growers received for the apples that were Bold in Wellington oh Christmas iiVe for la per pound. Tho authorities steppod in duringl the recent epidemic and fixed the price of citrous tiuit, because the public were being outrageously robbed, and, if the prices can be fixed at one time, it' is reasonable to suppose that they can also be filed at another. Freight and handling charges,do, liot fluctuate to the extent of 100 pet cent, within a month. But, as usual, tho poor old public pays Up and takes things for granted, having become resign*! after four and a half yeurs^-thitt it's all necessary because it's war time. Advfitissments recently appeared in the press advocating- tho ■ necessity of giving children plenty of apples; but tho average 1 parent, knowing the small boy's appetite for apples, thinks twice before taking- the advice proffered at the present price asked. However, perhaps there is some reasonable explanation for this recent rise in. price; if so,, the public are entitled to same—l am, etc., PARENT. 20th December.