THE “BANANA KINGS.’’

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12869, 22 September 1904, Page 4

THE “BANANA KINGS.’’

Among the generous donors to the new Liverpool Cathedral Fund (writes a Liverpool reader of “M.A.P.”) fe Sir Alfred L. Jones, the merchant prince, \Vho has given £IO,OOO to the building fund of our largest cathedral. Without any exaggeration, the title of “B’arrana King” may be given to Sir Alfreds He' rescued the Canaries from destitution by his recognitor of the potentialities of banana culture'. He induced the indolent natives to cultivate the fruit, he organised the trade in them, and shipped them to England; and, furthermore, he created a taste ior the fruit when they reached fare. His trouble and energy and expenditure met with the success that disisagaishcd all Sir Alfred’s undertakings, audj now the banana is the most gonewUy consumed fruit in this country, ana 1 the Iwats of the Elder-Dempster Company, of which Sir Alfred is the head and heart, brings 30,000 bundles into Livens ] pool every week. It is an open Liver-, pool secret that Sir Alfred has adopted the succulent fruit to his own purposes and given it a significant personal value, A dish of fruit is always to lie found on his office table, and to be asked to take a banana is an intimation that an interview is at an end. “Have you had a banana?” is a jocular question often asked of the caller who has been closeted with the great merchant. Few have the temerity to refuse Sir Alfred’s polite invitation "to have a banana,” hut I knew one man who had a big business deal on hand who declined the hospitality. When Sir Alfred intimated by offering a banana that he did not wish to discuss the matter any further, “No, Sir Alfred,” remarked the visitor, “we have not reached the banana stage, yet,” and he proceeded with his negotiations.

I can supplement (says another correcponfluiii) your excellent narrative of Sir Alfred Jones, the shipping king, and of his habit of signifying to an office visitor, by offering him a banana, that he desires to end the interview. The good-natured myth in Liverpool shipping circles is that if you accept the banana, and then prolong your call, Sir Alfred rises and presents you with a fine flower from one of the glass stands inliis office. If you are likely to be a “sticker,” he may turn you towards the door, and pin the flower in your coat. As he always lias a large slock of exquisite flowers in his place, he is ready for any number of callers. But, supposing you stay, after the flower? Well, the legend continues. Sir Alfred then offers you a pass to the West Indies on one of his mail steamers, with a free holiday for six weeks at his hotel! Joking apart, I must say that Sir Alfred has sent scores of clerks and others to the West Indies, to recover from bad health—that he has many a time given the poor man a rich man’s holiday. He is as generous as he is gifted. Readers may be amused to hear the story of the only occasion when Sir Alfred got the worst of the banana trick. ono day a young reporter called on him to learn, on behalf of his newspaper, something about the shipping conflict. When, after ten seconds' convention regarding) tha’ weather, Sir Alfred’s hand was straying towards the banana plate, the reporter hooked a couple of bananas out of his own pocket. In the sweetest tone of innocence he said: “Will you have a banana. Sir Alfred?”