ISLAND FRUIT TRADE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13289, 22 September 1906, Page 5

ISLAND FRUIT TRADE.

PROPOSED ADDITIONAL SERVICE.

[BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.]

Wellington. Friday. The annual report on the Cook Islands contains some references to the movement set on foot several years ago in regard to the running of a fruit steamer between Wellington and Parotonga. Colonel Gudgeon, Resident Commissioner at Rarotonga, in writing to the Minister lately in charge of the administration (the Hon. C. H. Mills) in December last, made the following remarks in reference to a public meeting held to consider the Union Company's proposition :— agent put the matter very fairly before the meeting, but the fruitgrowers of the island, with two exceptions, simply refused to entertain the proposition. It seems to me that the planters of this island have behaved with but little wisdom. They were not asked to guarantee anything, but simply to provide cargo for the steamed and I think they might have opened up a profitable direct trade with the west coast of the Middle Island, besides placing the fruit for Otago and Canterbury in good condition on those markets." Mr. Mills, replying to Colonel Gudgeon in January, said: "I am sorry the meeting could not see its way to fall in with the proposal made by the Union Company. I feel sure the company is desirous of assisting the fruit trade of our islands in every way possible, and it would be a. pity if further action on their part were discouraged by the refusal ol the residents to avail themselves ot the more extensive facilities recently offered. It seems to me that no permanent and satisfactory advance can be made in the fruit trade between the Cook Islands and New Zealand until there is communication at least twice monthly, and if a steamer could run direct from Wellington to the Islands and back the Southern parts of New Zealand would get their fruit in much better condition, and so long as there were constant supplies the consumption would steadily increase. I think also that a large number of visitors from the Southern parts of the colony, as well as tourists from outside, would be glad to visit the Islands from Wellington, who might not care to make the journey to Auckland first. I trust that it may be possible even yet to arrange for the additional service proposes.*'