MORE FRUIT WANTED

Evening Star, Issue 19330, 17 August 1926, Page 8

MORE FRUIT WANTED

IRREGULAR ISLAND SHIPMENTS

SOUTH HEGLEGTED BY NORTH MERCHANTS WANT DIRECT SERVICE. Auckland and Wellington report an ovorsupply of island fruit on the market. Dunedin merchants report that tho South Island is in short supply. , Following on the overstocking c,t the northern markets, a statement lias been made that it is probable that tho Union’Steam Ship Co. will wi didraw tho steamer Ngakuta from the island trade for the remainder > f the season after her trip from Auckland on September 23. Dunedin merchants to-cia.V declared that the Ngakuia.should be transferred to the South Island-Cook -aland trade, so that more regular supplies of higher class fruit would ho available to the public at-prices which would 'oe lair to the grower, tho mercnaius, and tlio consumer. Mr E. Oswald Reilly, president of tho Wholesale Fnutbrokers Association made a statement in which ho blamed tho greed of tho northerners for the position which has arisen. “The position is remarkable. Al. L can say is this: As far as the South Island is concerned tho need for curtailment of shipments docs not apply, for wo, in the South Island, have not had sufficient island nr-nu'cs' for cur requirements,” stated Mr Reilly. B Rio Ngakuta had boon coming to l ie .southern ports instead of dumping .ho fruit in Auckland and Wellington and causing glutted markets there, .he south would have had a better supply of good sound fruit. Wo have been led in only a very limited_ manner with fruit which has been re'.ecvod for cool storage purposes in both Auckland and Millington. , , “It is a well-known lact Liao the fruit for cool storage must be tho soundest procurable, and tho reason whv the Auckland and Wellington merchants have placed island fruit in cool storage is to maintain their prices. Hus is evidence that alter they have solcctcd'iiio very best of tho shipments thev send on tho rejected fruit to this market, and then only in limited quantities, and at prices which do not give the South Island merchants a chance to make a margin of profit. That is tho whole position in a nutshell. “ I hope to see the Government run the passenger and cargo steamer, fet which they’ have placed an order for building for the Island trade, down to tho South Island. Had tho Ngakuta been worked on the southern run wo would have had good supplies of oranges, bananas, and tomatoes. Aucknd Wellington nave hoisted this on themselves, for they have been too greedy. They havo been purchasing fruit- and trying to maintain their prices. Consequently they have put into cool storage fruit that should have com© south. Had they sent supplies the South Island markets would havo been catered for. 'When the day comes when a Hat rate will be charged on the subsidised steamers from Vancouver and ’Frisco wo in tho .South Island will havo a fair chance of competing with the North.” “To give you an indication of the demand and short supply in Dunedin, take the Waikouniti, which arrived hero lash week,” added Mr Reilly. “She brought from Adelaide ov.or 3,000 cases of oranges and lemons, and they were practically sold at once. When she comes lie re on her next trip she will earn- a similar quantity, and I have no doubt that tho fruit will be disposed of equally as fast. If we had decent fruit from the Islands and tho prices were good the Ngakuta could land 3,000 cases of fruit here and wo would get rid of tho consignment at prices which would he fair to tho customers and growers. Fruit that is bruised and won’t keep for longer than a few days is no good.” Another merchant suggested that tho Ngakuta now ho transferred from the North to the South Jsland, for merchantc;conld do well with the fruit. At present tho South was entirely dependent on the North Island importers for supplies of Island fruit. Tne last consignment to roach Dunedin was in only fair order, and much had to he repacked, but there was little of thatfruit on the wholesale market now. The irregular supplies of Cook Island fruit were spoiling the market for tho growers in the dependency, as Lie Australians were cutting in with their orangom Supplies were very irregular. When tho north was short the south got no fruit, and when there was a glut in the north tho south received the surplus, usually at a time when,the market was well supplied. Transhipping was the trouble; if the south had direct steamer service to the Islands the fruit business would pity. A boat was needed for a direct service, calling alternately at Dunedin and Lyttelton, and Invercargill could be supplied from here. “Dunedin can absorb easily 3,000 eases of oranges per month,” stated the merchant. “It is hard to estimate how much is coming now. Onq month wo might get 500 eases, and 1,000 tho next, if we could get good Island fruit regularly thousands of pounds would bo saved the Dunedin public yearly. Australian oranges are now soiling in tho market at about £1 per ease, much smaller than the Rarotonga u ease. When the last shipment arrived from the Cook Islands the oranges were sold at about 14s and 15s. That is practically half tlio cost of Australian oranges.” If tho Ngakuta were taken qIT the run the Rarotongan growers would be hard hit, stated the merchant. There was any amount of cool storage accommodation in Dunedin for receiving big shipments, ami arrangements could bo made for the storage of the fruit almost immediately. “Tho "Wholesale Fruitbrokers’ Association is bound to take tho question up,” stated the merchant.