HEW ZEALAND FROST

Evening Star, Issue 19408, 17 November 1926, Page 6

HEW ZEALAND FROST

* —— OUR EXPORT TRADE [Per United Press Association.] HASTINGS, November 17. Colonel Gray, chairman of the Fruit Export Control Board, addressing a meeting of fruitgroxvers last evening, said that four things had contributed toxvards the poor English market last season—viz., the arsenic scare, the accumulation and late shipping of American fruit, the general strike, and the coal strike. The first was rectified by the Government assuming liability for any claims for poisoning. New Zealand xvas the only country whose fruit xvas not blocked during the strike, partly because the fruit was inaccurately classified as perishable, and the door xvas kept open. He urged the advisability of having an authority in England with power to direct ships. He said _ the Port Hobart’s cargo xvas taken to Liverpool, xvhen it could hax'o been sold for 4s a case more in London. He gave full details of the size and tire names of the apples which are popular in the English and Continental toxvns. He recommended the groxxws to make little pools among themselves of apples of selected size and marks. He said that whether pooling xvas liked or not, it was being forced upon them by Home conditions. They would hux’e to be satisfied with from 12s to los a case, which xvould give Id a pound in the orchards. Referring to American competition, lie said tile fruit xva-s bought by speculators, put into cool store, and heavily advanced against in England. The cost of handling xvas only about a fifth of that of Nexv Zealand fruit. There was saving in stacking, packing, and clerical xvork. Colonel Gray added that it was not the Red peril Ihat was Britain’s enemy, but America.