AUSTRALIAN ORANGES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18499, 11 September 1934, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN ORANGES

AGITATION AGAINST PRICES FRUITERERS’ REPLY HIGH PERCENTAGE OF LOSS (Per Press Association.) • INVERCARGILL, last night. The latest phase in the public agitation about the price and supply o! Australian Oranges was the presence ol Mr. C. B. Tapley, president of the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce, at a special meeting of the Invercargill Fruiterers’ Association to-day. Mr. Tapley was invited to be present at the meeting in order that the association might have an opportunity of fully replying to press statements made by him last week. It was declared by the retailers in the course of a lengthy discussion that their losses through bad fruit were so high that in some cases they could make no profit on the consignments. It was alleged by members that retailers bad been shown up in a bad light, whereas they contended they were simply the victims of circumstances beyond their control. The loss through bad fruit was estimated at 30 per cent. In the course of discussion, Air tapley said that the export of South Australian oranges was in the hands of a monopoly, which bad caused high prices in Invercargill. , Mr. Tapley went on to say that people were asking' wliv oranges were still so dear in view* of the fact that the _embargo had been relaxed. The position needed clarifying, and the general public did not realise that" there was such a high percentage of loss. “1 did not realise myself that the loss was so high.” said Air. Tapley. “Thirty nor cent, is a serious matter. A monopoly is at work and that is a serious tiling for the Dominion. We must point out "to tho 'Government what a serious thing this is for the country. I hope before long that there will he a free and open market for oranges from South Australia, and retailers will then reap greater benefit than by the present restriction.” v\ retailer: We have been branded ?s profiteers. Air. Taplev: The losses with fruit are so serious that it is plain that the retailers are not to blame for the high prices. ________