BANANA BOYCOTT

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 56, 7 March 1930, Page 8

BANANA BOYCOTT

DISPUTE OVER PRICE

(By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evenlno Post. 1') CHRISTCHUECH, This Bay. There waa considerable discussioa among Christchurch retail fruiterers yesterday as a result of their action the previous day in boycotting to a certain" extent the sale of Samoan and Niue Island in the markets. A' city retailer with a large trade stated that the Samoan bananas .are bought by an Auckland firm at lls 9a a case at Apia. Allowing 5a a case for freight to Christchurch, it was clear that the prices asked in the markets on Wednesday (27s to 335) were absolutely unreasonable as all the merchants professed to be commission agents trading on alO per cent, commission basis. A price in the neighbourhood of 20s a case would show them a substantial profit , "Whether the fruit is sold by auction or at fixed rates is immaterial," he said, "so long as the price is determined by the quantities available. If the Maui Pomare, as was originally intended, was running only to southern ports, it would make no difference in the matter of high prices. "The fact that the Government has sold the whole of the supply of Samoan bananas to an Auckland firm for twelve months has left it in that firm's hands to send what it likes to the South Island. As Auckland firms also control the Fiji shipments it means that Auckland can practically dictate to the South Island as to what quantities it shall receive and what prices shall be asked." The solution to the present trouble, he thought, lay in an amicable agreement between the Christchurch and Auckland merchants whereby Christchurch would be' supplied with a set quantity of Samoan bananas at a fixed price for the remaining period of the Auckland firm's contract.