DUNEDIN NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9810, 31 March 1910, Page 1

DUNEDIN NOTES.

♦ ' [From Our Correspo:vdent.l DUNEDIN, March" 30. One of the commercial problems of the day is how to pack grapes 60 that they will carry without serious deteriori tion. The importation of grapes to New Zealand up to the present has been anything but a payable speculation for the senders, and the sole cause of the non-payable returns of which tho growers complain is that the fruit goes queer on the way. The Manuka from Slelbourne last week brought forty-six ca6es. on. which the freight alono came to £3 16s, and the whole lot, presenting almost a worthless appearance, was Bold' for 235. Hate and a half is paid to have the grapes carried in the ship's freezing chambers. On this parcel of forty-six sases the freight was practically Is 9d per case, and in addition there was a duty of Id per lb, also wharfage and cartage, making in all. roughly lOd per case before the grower gets anything, and his remarks when , he knows that tho lot wont for 23s can , only bo guessed, v when we learn what sort of person he is. The cork packing 1 which is used satisfactorily for this pur- ' pose over the world, does not seem to answer for carriage to New Zealand. The cork appears to penetrate, and lot out the juices of the grapes as they cross the Tasman Sea, and as the fruit "runs," it spoils the firmer artiole underneath. 1 Pollard's Opera Company is to disband at Tiniaru on April 13, and the Australian members will proceed to , their homes a couple of days later. Mr Duval explains that this step has been . firstly by increased railway fares, . secondly increased rents of theatres, . and thirdly the opposition of picture . shows at cheap prices in almost every town in tho dominion. '• " What are the prospects of the fruit market during the coming winter?" asked a reporter .of a leading salesman : this morning, and ho replied thus: > " The prospects are rosy. There has ■ been a very heavy gathering of both 1 apples and pears, and the low prices ruling up to the present have caused ' many of tho chief growers to keep back ; tho fruit in tho hope of better prices 1 later on. They are not. content to take Id and per lb for dessert ' fruits. Australian growers seem to be willing at all times to accept Id and ljd for such good apples as Ribston Pippin, Cleopatra, Cox's Orange Pippin French Crab, Winter" Greening and Ciidlin, but New Zealand growers always expect at least 3d as the season advances. As there is such a plentiful crop this year, however, it is quite likely that these prices may not be obtained, more especially in view of the fact that there is a large exportable surplus in Tasmania. It is quite a gamble on the part of our own orchard people whether they get their value or not. The same may be said about pears. Pear-growing is not making the headway that it should. Far too many early varieties are being grown, and in many instances the Williams' Bon Chretien, as grown in Canterbury, is hardly recognisable alongside the same fruit grown in Australia, ours being destitute of the eweet flavour. Greater areas should be planted in the late varieties of pears, that always realise excellent rates. It is curious that New Zealand cannot compote with Australia in fruit, considering the heavy duty. Beautiful grapes can be bought in Melbourne at 2d and 3d in the season, magnificent peaches 2d and 3d, the same class of fruit that wo would ask 6cl and 6d for here, and large pineapples that command 8d in Dunedin can be got from the barrows there at from 2d to 4d.