HIGH-PRICED FRUIT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 22 December 1942, Page 2

HIGH-PRICED FRUIT

A CHRISTMAS SEASON RECORD Wellington, This Day. To the man in the street there ie no sign of any stabilization of prices as far as fruit is concerned this Christmas. In that respect Christmas of 1942 probably sees a new record —and not a very welcome one for the ordinary wage-earner. Here are the prices that were being asked in a Wellington Chinese shop yesterday morning, which may be taken as a criterion for the rest: Peaches, 1/- per lb.; plums, 1/and 1/4 per lb.; New* Zealand grape fruit, 6d. and Bd. each; grapes. 8/- and 9/- per lb.; tomatoes, 2/- per lb.; apricots (small), 1/6 .per lb.; black-«nd red currants, 1/- per lb.; cherries, 2/per lb.; raspberries. 2/- a small chip. The market is still bare of apples—for the first time on record. •

Vegetables varied in price, but, on the whole, rates were on the defending scale. New potatoes may now be purchased at 5 and even 61ib. for 1/-; cabbages were sold in the markets for 1/6 a case (nine or ten first-class cabbages to the case). Peas were four pounds for 1/-, or 4d. per lb. Cauliflowers were dear; small scrubby ones were marked 1/6 each. —P.A.