SALE OF FOREIGN FRUIT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 25 May 1938, Page 6

SALE OF FOREIGN FRUIT

CONTROL BY GOVERNMENT WELLINGTON RETAILERS SATISFIED STABILISATION OF PRICES lUnited Press Association] WELLINGTON, This Day. “We are satisfied with the way ir which the Government is controlling the sale of foreign fruit and we believe that with a little time the system will work perfectly,” said Mr C. A Holland, president of the Wellington Fruit Traders' Association. The secretary, Mr J. Wrigglesworth, said that bananas had only been controlled since Ist April and oranges since Ist May, but during that time prices had been stabilised. Mr Holland said that the retailers were satisfied with the control because it placed them in a position where they knew what they were doing and they could satisfy their customci’s. Previously they had cheap bananas one week and dear ones the following week. That was not satisfactory either to the retailers or the public. He believed that control would keep the fruit at a price that would be within the reach of all, and spread over a period the public would get a better deal than was the case previously. Control was giving the retailers a steady supply and the Internal Marketing Department was always ready to accept suggestions from the trade for improvements. Mr Wrigglesworth said there were certain difficulties still to be overcome, but the scheme was not a failure because of that. Contingencies were being met as they arose and the Department had dealt with the disposal of undergrade fruit by allowing it to go to auction for what it would bring. Consequently the fixed price was not leading to any waste between the price to growers and the price to consumers, but an investigation of packing and transport costs would show that the merchants were not making excessive profits. The average retailer wanted to get a steady supply at a reasonable price so that he could hold his customers. Without control that wus impossible.