ORANGE SHORTAGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23620, 2 April 1940, Page 9

ORANGE SHORTAGE

SUPPLIES IN STORAGE | HELD FOR DEFENCE NEEDS ANSWER TO A COMPLAINT "It is time the public were enlightened as to the true facts regarding the so-called shortage of oranges in this city/' wrote Mr. George Paul yesterday in a letter to the editor of the Nkw Zealand Herald. "It has been commonly supposed for the past fortnight," he continued, "that oranges were entirely unprocurable, and retailors were led to believe that there would be no supplies available until a shipment arrived in about a week's time. It has now been ascertained that this shipment is arriving earlier than expected, whereupon the authorities have to-day released 300 cases out of storage, charging retailers an extra 2s 6d a case, which cannot, of course, be -passed on and comes out of their profit. "I think that the trade and the consumers are entitled to an explanation as to why this fruit was held up in this manner, and supplies entirely refused in the meantime.' Supplies in Wellington "There may be some adequate reason, but on the face of it the position discloses only one more example of the lamentable interference in free trade which is crippling business in this country to-day. To make the position more inexplicable still, it is understood that there were supplies of oranges available in Wellington all last week, bul; none for Auckland." Inquiries made last night suggested that the oranges released from storage 3 T esterday had been held by the Internal Marketing Division for Defence Department purposes. Further supplies from Jamaica which had not been, expected for a week arrived early, however, and, seeing that fresh oranges were available, the others were immediately released. Conserving Sterling Funds The oranges in cool store a.t present, it-was stated, were last year's crop and had been kept in. cool storage in Jamaica before being sent to New Zealand. At this time of the .year it had once been the custom to import fresh Californian oranges, but the Government, in order to conserve sterling funds within the Empire, was intending to import Jamaican oranges until supplies of new season fruit were available from the Cook Islands in May. In consequence of the long period in storage, both in Jamaica and .New Zealand, tne oranges had deteriorated in quality, and before releasing them to retailers the Marketing Division had them repacked and their condition guaranteed. It was to pay for this that an extra 2s 6d a case was being charged. When oranges arrived in the country they were divided up among the various districts. It was considered possible that, because the quota allotted to Wellington had been slower of sale than in Auckland, oranges might still have been available there last week when supplies had been exhausted in this i city.