SHOCKING CONDITION

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18466, 3 August 1934, Page 7

SHOCKING CONDITION

[RAROTONGAN ORANGES ENORMOUS WASTAGE (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. When a shipment of Rarotongan oranges was landed from the steamer Karetu, it was found that a considerable portion of the fruit was in a rotten condition. Of 48CO cases of oranges, 1600 cases are due to go forward to southern ports. As local fruit merchants estimated that the loss of fruit, through its rotten condition, was between 40 and 50 per cent., it is scarcely conceivable that the loss on the southern consignment will be any less. It was stated that Rarotongan oranges right through the season just ending have been, far from satisfactory. Merchants who have bought outright have lost heavily because a proportion of the fruit has proved to be in an unsaleable condition. The head of one firm stated that the oranges landed here were in a shocking condition. The. fault appeared to be in the timing of picking. It had been conveyed to him that the Government representatives had instructed the growers to have their oranges in the packing sheds on July 11. As the Karetu did not arrive at Rarotonga till July 20, one could imagine the state of the fruit by the time the actual shipping took place, and what it must -be like by the time the steamer reached New Zealand. SOUTHLAND’S POSITION AUSTRALIAN SUPPLIES (Per Press Association.) INVERCARGILL, this day. . "While considerable satisfaction is felt by fruit merchants here at the action of the Government in allowing double the quantity of South Australian oranges originally permitted to be imported by the Wait.aki on her next trip from Melbourne, it is considered that a still greater consignment could have been disposed of satisfactorily.

Under the latest arrangements, the Waitaki will carry 0000 cases (for South Island ports, and 3000 eases for discharge at Wellington, the quota for Bluff being expected in Invercargill about the middle of tho month. Satisfaction at the action of the Government, and a hope that regular three-weekly shipments from Australia would toe received from now on, was expressed to-day by Mr F. Bray, Southland representative on the New Zealand Fruit Auctioneers and Importers’ Federation. Mr Bray said it was felt' that -reasonable treatment was being meted out, but fruit merchants still thought that they could do with additional quantities. Extra quantities would prevent prices from rising as high as would otherwise have been the case. Mr D. W. McKay said that the Government's-decision made the position only satisfactory for the time being. There was no assurance of a continuance of supplies for the next five months, and if people had a taste of oranges and then had their supplies cut off, it would be Worse than ever.