Oranges Out of Order

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 153, 1 July 1939, Page 5

Oranges Out of Order

DELAY ON AUCKLAND WHARVES Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Juno 3U. The faulty stacking of about 2000 of 19,291 cases of oranges brought to Auckland from the islands on Thursday by the Matua, caused considerable difficulty on the waterfront to-day. When the time came to forward tho fruit to its destinations, it was discovered that this section of the cargo had been stacked without regard to the classification followed and an additional cost had to be met by requesting forwarding agents acting for the Internal Marketing Department to reclassify cases when they came to handle them. The practice followed is that the fruit should be separated first into groups corresponding with the islands from which they are despatched, and also into secondary groups corresponding with tho number of fruit in cacli case. Suitable markings indicating tho island and number of fruit are placed on every case but these were overlooked when about 2000 cases were being stacked. Some of this portion of tho cargo was destined for the South Island, some for Auckland, some for other parts of the North Island, and some for cool store. In addition the fruit is customarily sold according to the number of oranges in

cases so that before the 2000 cases could be handled for sale or delivery south, they had to be completely reclassified. This took much extra time and also it was stated, entailed substantial extra expense.