PREJUDICE OF NATIVE MIND WILL BE MET.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18938, 7 December 1929, Page 9

PREJUDICE OF NATIVE MIND WILL BE MET.

FIXED PRICE SOUGHT FOR ISLAND BANANAS

The native mind is a peculiar thing, and in successful dealings with natives it is essential that those responsible should proceed in a manner that will allay the suspicions to which natives are so prone. The Department of External Affairs in New Zealand has learned this in the administration of the island territories that fall under its care. In matters of trade, particularly, it has been found that the methods that are successful in dealing with Europeans are quite unsuccessful in dealing with natives. The vagaries of the markets are a sealed book to the native, and the effects on prices of the law of supply and demand find no place in his scheme of things. It is this that has led the Department of External Affairs to invite tenders for the purchase during the year 1930 of the whole or any substantial portion of the output of bananas from Western Samoa. The purchases are to be made f.0.b., Apia, and the fruit must be shipped by the Government motor vessel Maui Pomare, which at present carries a minimum of 6250 cases per voyage from Western Samoa. Mr A. G. Cannons, officer in charge of the Department of Industries and Commerce in Christchurch, pointed out this morning that if a regular price could be secured for the natives it would greatly encourage planting work. Under the ordinary system of trading, the return to the grower fluctuated in accordance with the market. This was a thing that the native could not understand. If he received, say, 25s a case for one consignment of bananas, he expected always to receive that price. If a later market yielded him only 15s, he felt that somebody, in some mysterious way, was robbing him. The result was that he was discouraged from planting. To meet the position the Government had, in the past, guaranteed a certain return to the growers. That policy, however, was very apt to prove costly. A fixed price throughout the season that the method now proposed would give to the growers would keep the natives contented and would tend to assist the industry. Mr Cannons pointed out that since her last overhaul the Maui Pomare had proved quite satisfactory as a fruit carrier, and her last three or four shipments of fruit had been landed in perfect condition. The result was to restore confidence in the vessel among the merchants dealing in Island fruit. They could now tender without misgivings, knowing that the fruit would be delivered in good condition.