BUSINESS STOPS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22241, 29 January 1947, Page 4

BUSINESS STOPS

AUCKLAND MARKETS DISPUTE OVER CHARGE (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Jan. 2!). Business came to a standstill at the city markets yesterday morning when retail fruiterers held a meeting to discuss the imposition of a container charge on a certain type of box used for packing stone fruit. Mr C. C. King, secretary of the Auckland Fruit and Vegetable Retailers’ Association said that he was notified last night that as from to-day the brokers would charge fourpence for a 7in by 7in case containing peaches, apricots and plums, and twopence for trays. The retailers met this morning to consider the position and passed a motion refusing to pay the charges pending a meeting of their federation in Wellington on February 9. The brokers, said Mr. King, also met and decided not to impose the charges on cases packed with local fruit, but to charge for cases from outside districts.

Representatives of the auctioneers said the charge of fourpence on the 7x7 box was paid everywhere in New Zealand except in Auckland and the auctioneers, acting on behalf of the growers, had taken action to bring Auckland into line with other centres. The charge was included in the price order fixed by the price tribunal. Although the retailers state that they will not purchase southern fruit bearing the container charge of fourpence, the merchants report that no wastage will take place. The bulk of the Hawke’s Bay and Otago fruit goes to o*her centres and it is believed that what little comes to Auckland will be readily disposed of.