Mr Picot Denies Onion Profit Story

Northern Advocate, 28 July 1939, Page 11

Mr Picot Denies Onion Profit Story

[Per Press Association. —Copyright.! WELLINGTON. This Day. yesterday on an Auckland report that the Government would make a handsome profit out of marketing the consignments of Japanese onions, the Director of Internal Marketing, Mr F. R. Picot, said the statements were ridiculous.

They could only be attributed to ignorance of the facts, or an intentional desire to mislead the public.

After payment of duty charges, almost £5 a ton, landing and storing charges, and making normal allowance for wastage on all perishable linos, he added, it was obvious that such a figure as quoted from Auckland was impossible.

Shipments to Australia

Certain small quantities of onions had been shipped to Australia recently, to fulfill contracts to meet the acute shortage in that country due to crop failure, droughts and bush fires, and these onions had gone into immediate consumption.

Onions had been brought to New Zealand to ensure a continuity of supply to New Zealand consumers at reasonable prices because of insufficient local supplies. Mr Picot was asked last night if, in view of his statement, he would reveal the actual landed cost of the onions.

Mr Picot said he was not prepared to give this information, nor tire profit the Government expected to make from the sale.

It was stated yesterday that the general opinion among experts was that the landed cost of the onions to the Government was from £8 10/- to £l2 a ton.