FIJI BANANA TRADE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13926, 7 December 1908, Page 6

FIJI BANANA TRADE.

THE DUNEDIN BOYCOTT,

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Dcnkdin, Saturday. In regard to the recent cable from Suva,, stating that banana shippers were boycotting Dunedin owing to the brokers not notifying the fact that. their commission had been increased, inquiries locally show that, because of the increased expenditure, fruit brokers were compelled to make an advance on the rates formerly prevailing. Not only has- the cost of living increased to a material extent, but each agent here now finds it necessary to have a man almost constantly at the wharf in attendance on the inspectors. Whole shipments have to be handled for the purposes of inspection. In many cases consignments ere handled case by case, and very often • greater proportion of the contents of nrn case is turned out for examination, suchoperations taking up a great deal of time. Th.s obviously means that •cent, expenses are considerably increas•d- The increase -Irely brings the comm«Km up to the old rate which prevailed •boot five years ago and which T re &e^ew n OUDL ° f k6eD £&e new rates *&" an increase of about * i .°°.« a <=t case. The local agents con t*nd that Fijian shippers have verv littln