THE MIDDLE MAN.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 170, 11 April 1908, Page 3

THE MIDDLE MAN.

CHRISTCHURCH FRUIT-CROWERS' PROTEST.

" Tlio' ijuostion 'of the price of fruit still agitates tho ininds of growors, and.consumers (telegraphs our spcoial Christchurch corro- ] •pondeiit),, aud a largely attended meeting J of growers wai held onUWedneeday_ night to consider means of, scouringmore; dircct coil- i tact between producers and. consumers. \ 1 The: Chairman.-, Mr. ( F.Fisspn, said that a i ■oomod ridiculous, to him> ,tliat ,tho public t 'generally .<.eould-. not. buy. directly, in caso j • kits from'tho . producer owing- to ,;thp aiic-r c iioneers', refusaLto ,tako private, bids.- i only stop h<vcould iseo to ovorconie the dim- i oulty ,was tlio establishment of .a .municipal ( market, : biit .-th®: AsMciationihad. nov-fomu? i . Ir.tiyl a scheme to 'bring /forward. ' In \\.cl- ( lingtqn a great deal i had' been' done 1 in_ the ' introduction of the system of selling from ; street barrows? and, though, the. priccs .ob- i tainW' by the .grower' for fruit there were higher than; in Christchurch, yet to tho con- ] sumer they .wero aVgood. deal r; lowcr... • i Tifr. W: H..;Cooper, a member, of the_ City ■ Council, said the question of . a municipal market v had; been .-under; consideration for Bomo year's, but tho-'la-w did not,yet allow such an institutioii. t' Failing action by tho Govornmont'in tho matter, tho Council was not anxious to construct ' a possible white elephant. Ho had been told that , a largo requisition "iras" Being. made out • for presentation. to- the City., Council; and ..when ,thn.t came forward' tho Council would probably tako action. ■ -n Mr. J; .Dawes,, head gardener tothoUpmain Board, -urged .that .tlio growers should act on ar othoperativo system.,. It lutely wewsary .to-'grado tho-fniit properly. At present, ivhen ho.bought fruit lie found good fruit on'.tho.top nf..3...ca50 and rubbish Mow/' Fruit ,should be . packed in small packages, i graded, /.and .sold., in a central market.. He was onp of tho originators of a co-operative' market in" Herefordshire ten years ago', and on. the. £5 shares only one claim of- 10s:- had beeri made. v Tho, market, oafcered for, Herefordshire,' Worcestershire, and. Crloucrstershi re. In tho: caso of, a glut, tlioextra:fruit was sent off to a jam. factory, which'woiild: take all tho fruit available. - 3lr.',H. Bannehr. an auctioneer,.said that tho piiblic; was too. la by to go to auction iwms or.to'markctsT . , . Surprise expressed :bv another speaker ■ that tho auctioneers in Christchurch were ■ running ihaiidOin. hand -with the retailers, having' cut airay - from, tho consumers., Tho only .reason ■ for'/'excluding: .tlw. public., was - that. .tho';refailers 'v.'antbd ■to ■ get tlio 'fruit . at t.hoir own' prices.' '■ -, ■ ■ 1 ■ ;. Fivontually it- was' decided to .hold: a. confcreiico- of', growers, consumers,, auctioneers,, and retailers-to discuss somo means of get■ting 1 over ,tho .-present, difficulty.