MEASURES TO SAVE GRAPE CARGO

Southland Times, Issue 23297, 6 September 1937, Page 13

MEASURES TO SAVE GRAPE CARGO

SAILING OF MARIPOSA DELAYED AUCKLAND, September 3. To save a valuable cargo of Californian grapes from deterioration and to prevent a possible heavy loss to Auckland merchants, the sailing from Auckland to Sydney tonight of the Matson liner Mariposa was postponed until three o’clock tomorrow afternoon. The Mariposa arrived from San Francisco this morning and rain seriously interrupted cargo working. When the Auckland agents realized the scheduled sailing of the liner at 10 o’clock tonight would mean a large proportion of 5968 chests of Californian grapes, valued at £lO,OOO, would be carried on, a cablegram for permission to delay the Mariposa was despatched to San Francisco. Because of mail contracts, the agents are normally obliged to despatch the American liners by midnight at the latest. Consent was given speedily by cablegram from San Francisco and, given average weather, the agents are confident that all cargo work will be finished by sailing time tomorrow. Similar difficulties have occurred with Matson ships three times in the past year, and cargoes have been carried on to subsequent ports for reshipping. The Mariposa’s consignment of grapes, however, is the first large shipment of the season and such a procedure would have resulted in a severe financial loss. The fruit is packed in insulated ice chambers calculated to land it in Auckland in good condition.