A GLUT OF STRAWBERRIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14240, 10 December 1909, Page 7

A GLUT OF STRAWBERRIES.

SHUT OUT OF SOUTHERN MARKETS.

The difficulties of despatching perishablo fruit, such as strawberries, to the Southern markets were explained to a Herald representative by tho manager of the Waitemata Fruitgrowers' Co-operative Association yesterday. " Yes, we could send from 4000 to 5000 boxes of strawberries away every morning comfortably, had wo the facilities," was the first remark made to the reporter. Ever since the discontinuance of the daily west coast scrvico to Wellington, Auckland growers have been faced with the problem of how to get their fruit to the southern towns of the North Island. Though frequently urged to provide the facilities the Railway Department has so far failed to meet the views of the fruitgrowers in tho matter, and yesterday tho following telegram was sent to the Minister for Railways: Kindly quote price for fruit carriage on the Main Trunk express for Wellington." Telegrams have lately been received from practically every town in the southern part of the island, asking for consignments of strawberries, and Auckland fruitgrowers estimate that they have lost thousands of pounds owing to their being cut off from tho South. At present strawberries are sent South as far as Taumarunui by goods trains, but owing to the uncertain running of theso trains tho market south of Taumarunui is lost to Auckland growers. This curtailment of tho market has been an advantage to Auckland residents, who arc now able to buy strawberries for Bd, and oven 6d a box, owing to the glut, but it will greatly hamper tho development of the fruitgrowing industry of the province, The season for strawberries is almost half over now, and unless, something is done immediately growers will be heavy losers. Tho Railway Department has offered to take occasional consignments up to 2cwt on the through express to Wellington, at tho ordinary rate of Is a cwt, but on account of the risk of a consignment being refused this is practically a useless concession to tho fruitgrowers. The fruitgrowers are prepared to pay as much as 5s a cwt. for fruit sent to Wellington, provided special accommodation is made for it. The lowest figure offered by tho Department is 10s per cwt, which the grower* do not see their way to accept. __^______««.