TOO HIGH

Southland Times, Issue 22474, 9 November 1934, Page 8

TOO HIGH

PRICE FOR ORANGES SOUTH AUSTRALIAN PRODUCT BOYCOTT DECLARED (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, November 8. A meeting of over 200 Wellington fruiterers to-day declared a boycott on South Australian oranges, resolving, “That the prices asked for the present class of oranges is excessive, and that the retail fruiterer refuse to purchase any further oranges until the price is reduced.” A committee was appointed to consider the unsatisfactory way in which the retailers were being compelled to buy inferior quality oranges at a ridiculously high rate. Mr R. A. Wright, M.P., assured the meeting that he would call attention to the matter in the House of Representatives. Mr W. Hatch, president of the European Retail Fruiterers’ Association, said the fruit came from South Australia and new supplies were not sold to retailers until the previous stock was disposed of. Meantime the oranges were kept in cool storage, which was definitely deleterious. Retailers suffered the loss of often as much as 25 per cent, on a case through the fruit having to be condemned. He instanced a case of oranges which had been opened in the presence of Mr R. A. Wright, M.P. Out of a total of 216 oranges, 17 proved to be bad. The leading Wellington wholesale fruit merchants refused to make any statement pending the arrival on Saturday from Dunedin of Mr C. N. S. Mueller of the Australian Fruitgrowers’ Association.