SAMOAN BANANAS

Evening Star, Issue 19923, 20 July 1928, Page 5

SAMOAN BANANAS

FIRST TO REACH DUNEDIN URGE, AND IH A 1 CONDITION The SOO cases of bananas that the Maui Romaro landed at Lyttelton for railing to Dunedin reached Dunedin at 10.30 yesterday morning, and are now practically all placed with the retailers. The four wholesale firms to whom the consignment came—Bray Bros., the Central Fruit Mart, Thos. Paterson and Co., and the Fruitgrowers’ Co-operative —eagerly examined the bananas and found that the fruit was in first-class order, having carried well, and that for. size and quality it would compare favourably with the best that has been delivered to the Dunedin market for a considerable time, being uncommonly sound, a fair proportion qnito ripe, but not' over-ripe, the greener ones just about turning to the golden-yellow tint that is desired. ‘ The size of these bananas and the equality of the size, was also noted with satisfaction, there being no scrubby little ones to spoil tho average. The public, ir. buying, are sure to appreciate that fact—it moans that a dozen of these Samoans aro equal in weight to a dozen and a-nalt of the ill-assorted kind. The wholesalers at once met and discussed tho question of disposition. They decided that tho best wav in the interests of all concealed would be to put out these bananas not by auction, but at a Hat rate, and 17s 6d per case to the retailers was resolved ,'pon as a fair thing.. Tho object was m distribute the fruit as evenly as possible amongst the retailers and not have a big iciauer buying a very large lot to tho exclusion of others, as would very likely happen at e.n auction. Retailers as a body seem -o appreciate the wisdom of that arrangement. They understand that it is to their interest to work up a general demand for the Samoan bananas, and ns they wore all keen to get a supply the consignment was practically cleared before noon to-day. Tho size of the cases turns out to bo about the sumo as villi tlio I'iji bananas, but as tho sizo of the unit is larger there are sliglislv fewer m each case. Speaking tins morning about the matter, Mr G J. Williamson, of Bray Bros., said: “So far the experiment is decidedly a success in every way Wo have, of course, to seo that tho growers get a fair return, otherwise they will not continue to supply; we also have to so arrange affairs, as tar ns we can, as to give tho steamer warrant for making Dunedin ono of her delivery ports. Tho position called for some thinking out, since if we mad® tho price too low the growers would suffer, and if wo made it too high the Fijis would como in and get the preference with consumers. I think we have hit the happy mean, and we all hope that tho public will respond by setting up a regular demand ler fruit that we are not ashamed to offer. We have done our part in trying to establish this trade, and it is now for the public to'klo their part.”