POTATO SHORTAGE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21188, 8 November 1938, Page 6

POTATO SHORTAGE

SERIOUS POSITION IN AUCKLAND Ships Full: Stores Empty Effect of Waterfront Trouble By Teler nph—Press Association AUCKLAND, November 9. Although over 8000 sacks of South Island potatoes are lying in the holds of the Waiana and the Port Waikato at the city wharves, it is impossible to obtain even one sack of southern potatoes in Auckland. The acute shortage has arisen owing to delays in unloading the vessels as a result of the waterfront dispute. The shortage, has resulted in particularly high prices being obtained for new season’s potatoes from Pukekohe, which are now selling at the markets at from 10/- to 11 - a bag, compared with about 8/- a bag at the end of last week. South Island potatoes are nominally quoted at £6/15/- a ton for both reds and whites, a rise of 25/- over the i past week. However, if any supplies were available, a very much higher figure could be obtained. The Waiana was due to arrive at Auckland last Monday with about 4700 bags from the South Island, including a quantity of export quality potatoes, which are being bought by merchants from the Government to assist in finding a market for surplus export stocks. The vessel was held up in Wellington owing to the waterside workers refusing to unload its cargo, and it arrived in Auckland on Wednesday. Very few sacks were discharged at Auckland before the present hold-up commenced, and as there was scarcely a sack of South Island potatoes in Auckland when the vessel arrived, the shortage has now become acute. The Port Waikato arrived yesterday with a further 3500 sacks from the South Island, which are still awaiting discharge. Produce May Deteriorate “The most serious point of the holdup is that owing to the delayed arrival and subsequent stoppage of work on the city wharves, it is doubtful in what condition the potatoes will eventually be discharged,” said an official of the Auckland Grain, Seed and Produce Merchants’ Association. “The recent humid weather and the fact that it is late in the season for South Island potatoes to be coming to Auckland make it highly probable that the potatoes will suffer considerably through being stored for a long period under the steel decks of the vessels. Merchants have a large number of orders which are held up awaiting delivery of the potatoes, but they hope to g.V possession before the potatoes deteriorate too much.” SEED POTATOES USED Acute Position at Hospital By Telegraph—Press Association AUCKLAND, November 7. With the delivery of new supplies affected by the labour dispute on the waterfront, an acute shortage of potatoes has presented an unusual problem to the authorities of the Auckland Hospital. There arc 10 tons of potatoes on board the Waiana at Princes Wharf awaiting delivery to the hospital, but it has not been found possible to unload them, and seed potatoes are being used as a temporary measure at the Board’s institutions. The Waiana is one of the vessels on which no work has been done since the labour trouble developed on Thursday, and her cargo includes a considerable quantity of southern potatoes. The normal consumption of potatoes at the hospital amounts to about onethird ci a ton each day, and when supplies neared exhaustion over the week-end, steps were taken to secure quantities of seed potatoes from the Board’s contractors to serve the stafi and patients until a settlement to the dispute is reached. The position on the waterfront was unchanged to-day, and with the ships still idle, an attempt was made by the chairman of. the Board (Mr Alan Moody) to secure produce for the hospital. With seed potatoes suitable only in the event of emergency, new supplies are now urgently required. Watersiders’ Offer Mr Moody said he had approached officials of the Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union, and when the position of the hospital was explained to them, he had been informed that the men would be prepared to unload the Board’s cargo if the employers were agreeable. However, the chairman of the Auckland Stevedores’ Association (Captain Lewis) had explained that it was not possible to unload 10 tons of potatoes for the Board, as they were distributed in several holds amongst a large quantity of other cargo. Interviewed to-night officials of the Union stated that a definite undertaking that the vessel would be worked immediately was given by them to the Hospital Board. No matter what the discharging difficulties were, they were prepared to stand by their offer.