STRAWBERRY SEASON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14473, 13 September 1910, Page 3

STRAWBERRY SEASON.

A TRAIN TO WELLINGTON.

The delicate -white blossom of the straw* berry, now so much in evidence on the north side of the harbour, proclaims the approach of another season, the prospects, of which, though, there is an indication of: lateness, appear to be very bright. . . The* providing of train facilities this season, to enable the Auckland grower to reach the Wellington market, is a new factor ofi great importance. '.'*;• The secretary of the Waitemata Fruit* growers' Co-operative Association (Mr. J. B. Tonar), informed a reporter yesterday that his association had ordered fully 200,000 boxes in excess of the number' oraered for last season. The number ordered last year was about 300,000 j this year about 500,000. The society, was' aboub to remove from High-street to much larger premises in Fort-street. The present indi-t cations were that the strawberry eeasonj would be slightly later than last year,,, owing to excess of moisture in July. With regard to the now train arrangements between . Wellington and Auckland, it de-< pended upon growers themselves whether they took advantage of this means of relieving the glut. Last year the Railway Department would not take perishable produce at ordinary rates on the express, and though Wellington badly wanted the strawberries which Auckland had, and though the Southern consumer in the early part of the season paid very high prices, very few Auckland strawberries got through at the high freights that had to 'be paid. This year the Railway Department has undertaken to provide a kind of special mixed train, that will carry fruit and perishable produce from Auckland to Wellington in. about 38 hours, as against the four days taken by the goods train last year. Mr. Tonar points out that this 38 hours* train will.be just as quick as, and more convenient than, the "Union Company's west coast steam service, which carried the fruit prior to the advent of the Main Trunk express. The arrangements made between the Waitemata Fruitgrowers' Cooperative Society and the Railway Department contemplate the running of the train! on two days a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays), the train leaving at .7.55 a.m., fruit to be delivered not later than 7.15 a.m. A. van will be provided for soft fruit and' perishable produce, and this van will be placed at the passenger platform, where,. Mr. Tonar states, the Department expects* growers or their agents to be in attendance, to pack the fruit into the van. The new: arrangement orovides an opening for a»j trade with the South, not only in straw-./ berries, but in other soft fruits, such at peaches, plums, etc.