SHIPMENT OF ORANGES

Southland Times, Issue 23074, 16 December 1936, Page 4

SHIPMENT OF ORANGES

12,000 Cases From Australia FIXATION OF PRICES BY REGULATION PROTECTION OF PUBLIC SOUGHT (United Press Association) Wellington, December 15. Following the decision of the Government to ensure ample supplies of oranges being made available to the public at reasonable prices, it has made arrangements for the importation of 12,000 cases of oranges from areas free from the fruit-fly in Australia. This was announced by the Minister of Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) tonight. To further its scheme of importation, the Government has taken action to fix wholesale and retail prices along similar lines to those which were followed for the two recent shipments from Jamaica. These prices are set out in regulations published today and are as follows:— Wholesale.—22/6 an export case of approximately a bushel and a-half and 16/- a bushel case. Retail.—From four for 1/- to nine for 1/-, according to count. The regulations make provision for the oranges to be assembled and classified according to count and for the marking of each separate lot with the number of the count and the number that are to be sold for 1/-. This provision is included so the public will know exactly what it is buying. Shipments are already arriving and, despite the shortage which exists in Australia, through recent heavy shipments to the Far East, due to the inability of the United States to supply, owing to the shipping strike, and also due to bad weather making it impracticable to pick the fruit, it is stated that New Zealand’s requirements will be amply filled.