ORANGE PRICES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22608, 22 December 1936, Page 11

ORANGE PRICES

AUSTRALIAN FRUIT SCALE OF CHARGES ISSUED MAXIMUM RETAIL RATES The maximum retail price for Australian oranges in Auckland and all surrounding boroughs and town and road districts within a radius of 21 miles from the chief post office is fixed by regulations which have been issued under an Order-in-Council. The following shall be the maximum prices:—ls for four oranges of 126 count export case; Is for five of 150 count; Is for six of 176 count; Is for eight of 252 count; and Is for nine of 288 count and over. For bushel cases, the prices are to be: —Is for four oranges of DO count; Is for five of 112 count; Is for six of 126 count; Is for seven of 140 and 154 count; Is for eight of 168 count; and Is for nine of 182 and over count. All oranges for sale or exposed for sale retail are to be assembled and classified into separate lots according to the count of each case and are to be plainly marked with the relative counts and numbers of oranges to be sold for Is. Oranges, whether of 200 or 216 count export case, or 140 to 154 count bushel case may be njuarked "200 to 216 count per case" and "140 to 154 count per case" respectively. Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, with the immediately surrounding boroughs and town districts, are also included in the regulations for this scale of prices and in each case the wholesale price is not to exceed £1 2s Gd an export caso and 16s a bushel case, rn all other localities these wholesale prices will also apply, together with the usual transport charges from the nearest main centre and such incidental charges as may be usual.

CALIFORNIAN SHIPMENT BANANAS FROM FIJI A consignment of 3000 cases of bananas arrived from Fiji by the Niagara yesterday. It was stated by Mr. Harvey Turner that this would ensure adequate supplies over the Christmas season. There would Ije a further shipment early in the new year by the Matua. The Niagara also brought 1000 cases of Californian oranges which were sent by land to Vancouver, due to the impossibility of shipping them from Los Angeles or San Francisco owing to the Pacific Coast strike. Other fruit arriving by the vessel included watermelons, pineapples and paupaus from Fiji.

REGULATIONS TO BE ENFORCED STATEMENT BY MINISTER [BV TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION'] V» T ELLING TON, Momlay The Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, made a statement to-day concerning regulations which were recently "passed under the Board of Trade Act fixing prices of Australian and Jamaican oranges. He said it had been brought to his notice that retailers in the centres covered by the regulations, Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, were, generally speaking, not complying with them. Retailers were not marking their oranges in the manner prescribed, and by failing to do so were committing a breach of the regulations and the Board of Trade Act, said the Minister. Comparatively few retailers, so far as he was aware, marked the count per case on each lot of oranges, and some had not even marked the price at which oranges were being retailed. Inquiries made by his department showed that not only were retailers failing to comply with the regulations in respect of marking, but they were also not complying with them in respect of the actual prices at which oranges were being sold. The maximum prices at which oranges might be retailed were clearly set out in the regulations issued, continued Mr. Sullivan, and every retailer should make himself acquainted with them. Failure to comply with the regulations rendered the person committing the breach liable on summary conviction before a magistrate to a fine not exceeding £2OO, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months. The Minister said he did not want to bring any retailer before the Court, but if the regulations were not complied with there would be no alternative but to do so. The Government was concerned to see that the public obtained fruit at the lowest possible price, consistent with a reasonable margin of profit to the retailer, and in the interests and protection of the public he would not hesitate to bring any retailer before the Court in the event of refusal to comply with the regulations.