APPLE DAY IN LONDON

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 110, 11 May 1935, Page 28

APPLE DAY IN LONDON

OPENING OF N.Z. FRUIT

SEASON

(Written for "The Post" toy Nelle M.

Scanlan.) LONDON, April 11,

Mr. Malcolm Mac Donald, son of the Prime Minister, said ■ that New* Zealanders were far too modest about their country and their produce. I fancy our apples must share this vice —or is it a virtue? • Massed in decorative boxes and baskets, they filled the windows of New Zealand House; and they' appeared to blush : before the hungry admiration of London's eyes. In the hall, against an effective background of New Zealand scenery, more boxes and baskets Were arrange ed, ..for Jhis_was Apple Day. in London, the opening of the New Zealand fruit season. And in the centre of the fruit was one special basket tied with crimson ribbon, which Sir James Parr presented to Lady Hewart, when she declared the season- open.

Sir. James paid a' glowing tribute to the New Zealand.- fruit growers, to their ■ industry . and enterprise in the face of poor financial returns, and also to Mr. Turner, London manager .of the Fruit Board. . , , ''

Sir James- remarked that the fruit grower gotjrless than a penny a lb, while' the' 'apples were sold for as much:as 74 and up to lOd per lb in London, The difference between what the. producer . and what; the retail-purchaser■ pays, was far too great. -V ' : ■ England's:' fruit bill is £27,000,000 a year. Of ; this, the' Dominions receive £11,500,000, foreign countries ;£ 15,000,000. Of the Dominion's share, Canada ' gets: £2,000,000, Australia' £2,000,000, and South Africa £2,000,000.' New Zealand's share is only £600,000. ■

Sir James also •■■ mentioned a meeting 'between the English fruit growers and' New Zealand authorities last year, when - a mutual arrangement had been reached, which had resulted in New Zealand, allowing ;the English, grower aclear.market'durihg his own season, and' so ■ regulating supplies of' apples from-New Zealand, that no glut in the' market •' should" force down prices, but by a 1 judicious restriction ensure better prices for all. Sir James suggested that this method of mutual agreement might well be tried by other industries, instead "of tariffs arid arbitrary restrictions. Mr. Malcolm.'MacDonald stated with much emphasis that New Zealand was far too modest. about herself. "You New Zealanders don't talk enough about your country and your produce.'.' Holding the balance neatly between the North and South Islands, he referred to the scenic beauties, the mountain grandeur, and the great variety of interesting sights.

Mr. Mac Donald said he had often tried to decide which; of all the wonderful things he had seen out there, was the most memorable. The Hochstetter Ice Fall with its deep ice-blue' caves, bridges of ice-like glass, linking the banks of deep,ice caverns. Then he passed to the Waitomo Caves, and the unbelievable loveliness of the glow-worms. He pictured very vividly his own impressions as he was led into the velvety blackness, ;and looked to see what he described as something'like a close-up view of the Milky Way.

Lady Hewart spoke of the appropriateness of having a woman to open the apple season, as it w,as the women who were- responsible for household expenditure, and were obliged to get the best value for their money—often little? enough—and the best value was obtained by purchasing New Zealand butter, meat, apples, honey, and cheese. Lady Hewart said that her menu for a New Zealand dinner, which she found was much' appreciated by her English. friends, was: "Toheroa soup, New Zealand mutton, passion-fruit cream, and cheese savoury."

Lady Hewart, who is a New Zealander, and the wife of the Lord Chief Justice of England, surprised many, though I saw a number of heads nodding in agreement, when she said that to . test acCojc's "Orange pippin, you should;tattle it. If it doesn't rattle, it isnlta-Cox's Orange Pippin. Since she told-her husband this, she said, he. topkL a■;. great delight in always rattlin&^the 'apples- when he went into a shpp.-i'■■'■-■'■ .

Quite .a, number of New Zealanders were, present at the little ceremony, and ,eactt'was>presented with a small bag of -Cox's Orange Pippins, when the rattling .test p.romptly.;began. The guests- .included Mr., and Mrs. McNaiighton Christie, Mrs. and Miss Levieh, Mr.' Sydney Jacobs, Dr. and Mrs. Morice and Miss Constance Morice. Mi*, Mrs. Delatour,