CHEAPER FOOD SUPPLIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14808, 11 October 1911, Page 8

CHEAPER FOOD SUPPLIES.

> FRUIT AND FISH. REDUCED FREIGHTS WANTED. [BT TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] ~.-.•■"'.,"v.■=.Wellington', Tuesday. A means of reducing the cost of fruit and fish was discussed in the House of Representatives this afternoon on a* recommendation ; by the Commerce Committee that the Government should consider a petition from 54 fruitgrowers in Waimato (South' Canterbury) that empty fruit cases should be, returned to, them by rail free. -■ * : \ '

Sir William Steward (Waitaki) said that last season 200 tons of raspberries and {strawberries were sent by rail from Waimate as far as Christchurch and Invercargill, and this year the area in cultivation would be increased by 25 per cent. Empty crates were carried \ free up" to 100 miles, i but beyond that distance frieght was charged, and an instance ol the growers' hardship was that the freight on the fruit was Is 6d per crate to Invercargill and on the returned empties it was Is 9d per crate. ' . Mr. C: H. Poole (Auckland West) said that a similar concession should ", be made on the transportation of all . small fruit in the Dominion. Large quantities of small : fruit were carried from Auckland "to Wellington. ' '•'. . The ,- leader of the Opposition (Mr. Massey) supported the request for. assistance for fruitgrowers throughout the "Dominion. . ' ■ „ - ■'• , ■ ,; „

Mr. E. H. Clark (Chalmers) said that fishermen were'entitled to the same consideration in regard to ,the crates used for the carriage of fish on the railways. Mr. A. E. Glover (Auckland' Central) added that dealers in Island-grown fruit had a similar claim for some concession. Mr. H. G. Ell (Christchurch South) drew attention to the interest of the consumer in the matter. ' The cost of transport was passed on to the people who finally purchased the produce, and in his opinion cheap freights should be made a means of cheapening the food supplies. Mr. G. Witty (Riccarton), in reply, warmly endorsed the arguments of previous speakers regarding the desirability of cheapening fruit and fish. The report was received. .*'.'. ' \