ORANGES FOR N.Z.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18551, 10 November 1934, Page 8

ORANGES FOR N.Z.

AUSTRALIAN -SUPPLIES NO SHORTAGE THE GROWERS’ SIDE (For -Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last night. “If I. could make* known .to the public all I hat is taking place, 1- feel sure'they would appreciate that what- is. being done is in the best interests of the consuming public, as well as ol the whole of the trade, including the retailers,” said Mr. 0. N. S. Mueller, New Zealand representative of the Murray Citrus Growers’ Go-operative Association (Australia), Limited, to-day, commenting on the boycott, of Australian oranges by Wellington fruiterers on the grounds of poorness of quality and excessiveness of price. “The position that has been taken up is that the retailers must have the fruit as it lands, and let, any surplus from the previous consignment continue to deteriorate,” continued Air. Mueller. “If Mr. Hatch and his associates conduct their business in this maiTDer, it is no wonder they talk of their losses, but T cannot countenance such a procedure with any growers’ fruit. As fruit arrives from Australia and America in cool storage, it is only exhibiting ignorance to state that our fruit deteriorates because it is held in New Zealand for two weeks in a cool store. The fruit we send to England remains in a cooler for two months, and your New Zealand apples are held here for months with no detrimental effort. “With reference to the small fruit complaint, in Australia small fruit has an enhanced value at times when prices rise, generally at this time of the year. My growers were under the impression that they were shipping- what was*, required rather than something objectionable. During the. season 1 have consistently made* good retailers’ legitimate losses. I have not permitted any variation in price, and the market lias never been without oranges. “What the retailer really wants is difficult to understand,” said Mr. Mueller. “What I do* know is that on the present prices marked up in shop windows, the retailer is getting more in two weeks for a ease of oranges than the grower gets in 12 months, but I have no quarrel with that- position, ns Lknow that the costs of retailing are. high. “With reference to a statement, alleged to have been made by the secretary of the retailers at Dunedin that , oranges were very scarce on the, Dunedin market, 1 have his personal assurance that the statement, was not made by him, and if anyone wants 1000 cases of oranges at Dunedin 1 ran supply them from stocks, anil to a. very much larger extent the same applies in every port from Dunedin to Auckland, so the alleged shortage, is all moonshine.”