ORANGES.

Evening Star, Issue 21824, 13 September 1934, Page 16

ORANGES.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —The controversy regarding tlic retail price of oranges is very interesting. From various letters to the Press \vc are given the impression that oranges can be bought very cheaply in Australia. However, the fact remains that the retail price in New Zealand remains prohibitive to the poorer classes. Might not the solution be as follows:—1 understand the method of sale is conducted somewhat on these linos: Dunedin’s quota ot a shipment amounts to so many eases, probably consigned to a wholesaler, who eventually submits them to auction. Now, irrespective of what these oranges may have cost the wholesaler per case, his auctioneer, having become accustomed to his idea of values, starts each lot at a certain figure. The retailer, being short of supplies, goes one better, and thus the price to the retailer goes up, and the price to the general public remains high. It appears evident that the price of oranges in New Zealand, as compared with values in Australia, is

much too high. Somebody is making a huge profit, but apparently it is'not the retailer. I suggest, then, that the remedy would appear to be i:i the hands of the retailer. A meeting of retailers could easily decide that the auctioneers’ ideas of opening prices do not coincide with theirs, and consequently refuse to bid for the various lots. There must be a solution somewhere, and, in my humble opinion, this idea is worth consideration. —I am, etc., ' R.AA.A. September 12.