ORANGES A SHILLING A BUCKET

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 132, 1 December 1936, Page 8

ORANGES A SHILLING A BUCKET

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —As a New Zealander, spending a few months in Sydney... I was naturally interested in a cable from Wellington, appearing in the "Sydney Morning Herald," stating that Jamaica oranges had been sold at 68s a case, I and would have to be retailed at 5d each. In comparison your readers will be interested to know the prices of citrus fruits in Sydney at present. Small oranges of excellent quality are on sale in large quantities at 6d a dozen; the larger sizes Is dozen; large lemons 6d dozen, and splendid grape fruit 2d each. These, of course, are retail prices; wholesale prices would be much less. Enclosed you will find an advertisement cut from this morning's paper, offering to deliver, carriage free, to any part of Sydney, cases of Valencia oranges containing from 200 to 250, for 5s a case—roughly, 3d a dozen. These would no doubt be small but of good quality. Only two days ago friends motored me through some of the country districts, within 30 miles of Sydney, and orange growers were selling small oranges to passing motorists at Is a bucket. The serious drought in New South Wales is responsible for the large quantity of undersized oranges and their low price, because Sydney does not favour small oranges, and their sale is limited. Strange to say, these oranges appear to have gained in quality what they lack in size. But imagine how the children of New Zealand would revel in these small oranges, and how much longer are they to be deprived of them? It is running into years now since the embargo was placed on Australian oranges. If New. Zealand is waiting for the admission of her potatoes into Australia before she allows oranges into New Zealand, then, judging by local conditions here, I am afraid she will continue to wait indefinitely. Australia appears to be able to grow all the potatoes she requires, and any Australian Government which agreed to the admission of New Zealand potatoes would be decidedly unpopular in Tasmania and other potato-growing districts. Only by removing all restrictions and quotas, except during the Island orange season, will New Zealand have a cheap and plentiful supply of oranges. With the fast steamers now crossing the Tasman, oranges could be landed in New Zealand from New South Wales with a minimum of wastage. It is admitted that the balance of trade between Australia and New Zealand is adverse to us, but as long as Australian-manufactured goods are alI lowed into New Zealand on 25 per cent, better terms than they can be imported from England, that adverse balance will not only remain, but increase, and that is the problem New Zealand has to face; but this important matter cannot be adjusted by any longer depriving the people of the oranges they want and should have for health's sake.—l am, etc., W. J. QUEREE. Sydney, November 25. [According to a cable message published today, advice has been received at Canberra that permission has been granted by the New Zealand Government for the importation of 12,000 cases of oranges from fly-free areas in New South Wales and Victoria for delivery in New Zealand.]