THE PRICE OF POTATOES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2686, 6 September 1905, Page 10

THE PRICE OF POTATOES.

VIEWS OF A WELLINGTON

MERCHANT. (Fboh Oub Owk Correspondent.)'

! WELLINGTON, September 2. '■ A local. merchant who was interviewed to» | day by a Post reporter regarding the potato market stated ' that he considered prices had about reached the limit. With the new season's crop coming on the market in a , few weeks' time, prices, he eaid, . should! begin to decline. But even with the new onop in ths pffJoe was likely to be considerably higher than it was for the corresponding period of last year. In 'regard to the r&cenfc' prices, he stated that merchants had not found a ready jsale n for potatoes of late. 1 Since tibe prices have "been so high there ; has been, a diminishing sole. In ,ofeher i words, the 'high price is having, an effect on the, consumption, the public being unI able to l afford the price, asked. v Th© value of< potatoes on the local . market to-day is £13 per ton, and there is not a gr4a.t quani tity available even at 1 that- price. Canterbury 'merchants are^ of opinion that, the i price lias about reached high-water mark, and in support of this they advise thai cable messages ,tc> America have elicited the fact that ''supplies may be obtained' (com California at ,a ecst of £11 per ton, landed at' "anyVpprt' in ,New Zealand--"* There is, .of course, '/danger in importing > from' 1 stieh-dis-' . tances that the 'shipment' may not' arrive „ hesrevin . the » beet of ot>m3itkxn. . "-In -my opinion," said the, merchant, ". the- , danger' arid- risk of \ importing are so great that" no ' ,'meroha.rito in New Zealand would be daring enough. to 'make the venture.'', 'The prices in the Tasmanian ?and" Australian markets are '-now .a' little easier than they, have Been, r ' and shipments to . New*- Zealand can " be arranged for at £9, -with" the 20 per cent, duty, freight, eto.; would bring the ocst landed here to £12, par., ton. A local ' restaurant-keeper states that a few days _ *agq he paid £28 for two tons of potatoes. ~ Tlus 'time 'last 'year fee waa able" to secure two tons for £4- 7s 6d. In view of the prices ruling in New Zealand, he thought -the high' duty placed on imported potatoes should ba removed.

The Wellington City Council has decided, on the recommendation 'of Superintendent; Hugo; to purchase a Merry weather* w combined chemical hose and ladder motor engine. The cost will be £840, f.o.b. London. , Charged with blackmailing wealthy busi-~ ness men, a girl of; 13 was on July 1 sent by M. Barnard, Chief of the French .Criminal Investigation Department, to' a Parisian truant establishment for girls until she reaches the age of 21. It appears that the girl, who -looks much older than she is,- has led a life' of frivolity since, her eleventh year, and on her twelfth birthday' an admirer bought her a suite, of furniture; ;■ with which.' she set up in ,a flat ,a& -the "Marchioness .of Granville," - keeping a maid. Later sho -changed her name to-thai* of "Countess of Nelizy/'-'and again -to that' of "Lady -Beaugrand." l She. kept; up a ' persistent system of blackmail on all 'her male acquaintances, who - in .nearly .every 'case paid her money to get, rid- of her.