SHORTAGE OF ORANGES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIX, 1 February 1936, Page 6

SHORTAGE OF ORANGES

HOSPITAL BOARD’S CONCERN REPORT BY MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT (By Telegraph—Press Association! WELLINGTON, This Day. Concern about the shortage of oranges for dietary use at the hospital was expressed at a meeting of tile Wellington Hospital Board. In his report to the house committee the Medical Superintendent (Dr. A. R. Thorne] stated that considerable difficulty had been experienced regarding fresh fruit, owing to the great shortage on tiie market ot oranges. Representations could possibly be made to the Minister of Health (the Hon. P. Fraser) regarding this matter, as oranges were important, especially in the dietary of children.

Mr A. W. Croskery remarked that it was quite sufficient for the Labour Government to know that the hospital could not get oranges, and it would do its best to obtain them.

The chairman (Mr F. Castle) said that the matter was a serious one. It was extremely important that the large number of people within the institution should be supplied with oranges. It was a regular article of their diet, and to be unable to secure supplies when ,New Zealand was only a few miles away from Australia, where there was an abundance of the fruit, seemed extraordinary. It was time the Government realised that it was most important to have the existing trade differences settled so that the oranges did come over here, even if it did disturb the balance of trade.