Blackmarketeers in Fruit Condemned

Chronicle (Levin), 16 July 1949, Page 5

Blackmarketeers in Fruit Condemned

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(Per

HA»TIINLT», .Julv 10. Condemnation of blaclcmarketing in. fruit was expressed by the chairman of tlie Apple and Pear Marketing Board (Mr. H. Turner) at the annual Hawke's Bay provincial cAnference of the Xew Zealand Fruitgrowers ' Federation this afternoon. The problem, he said, was one of the biggest with which the board was faced. It bad only to extend a little from its present level to be in danger of sabotaging the, Act which growers had sought. Tt was no use eondemning the retailer or transporter because it was the grower who was fundamenthlly at fault. Referring to the desirability of eliminating small sizes, Mr. Turner said it was only too true in many instances that blaekmarket people sold

to the DiacKinarKftu tneii otiSL sizesj duu . left it to the boarrl to disnose of their small rubbishy fruit. "I feel sure that until the industrv wakes np to the seriousness of the situation we will get nowhere," he added. There was a feeling that because registraticms were not yet complete the board had no powar to deal with blackmarketeers. Mr. Turner advised growers to get that idea out of their heads as the board had all the power it wanted under the Act. If it had evidence and was able to proceed against a grower when the regnlations were completed the board would not hesitate to deal with offenclers. It must do that in the interests of growers who ,were playing the game.