THE FRUIT SEASON.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 437, 20 February 1909, Page 13

THE FRUIT SEASON.

IDI iELSaftiti,—tS-jcVlt cdaabspbitDXJrfj Auckland, February-ib.v From a consumer's point of View; thobresent fruit' season in Auckland ss; tf&ardeu as the most satisfactory for somfe time, jl'ast. Ttle. supply is prolific, the qbnli'ty on the WMI6 is above the standard, &nd prices are fttUJ 20 per cent, lower'. Stdhe, fruits are especially plentiful, and Island ]}£bduct& in ,tte ttatttW i>f bftbahftsj Ictoonst oi&gesj.and pinos, are in heavy supply. ITie,city shops make attractive displays, stimulated, perhaps, by the activity of tho, strict hawkers-.. Competition is keen, and it: is bojond ddubt that'.;tih6'Sdoptioi__bfi a: mdre rei'sonable scale of prices is. in a largS measure due to the City Council's There iscSHziinly no fiiwt t& find with tn'e luscious peaches at 16 for :Is., apples Sd.'.to sd. per lb., nectarines,4d. per lb., peats <?a. per lb., large Varieties 4'd. pofr lb.-, peats 63.. per, lb., largo varieties of plums from 2d. to 4d. per lb., bananas Id. per lb., lemons aft'd ora&ges' from lis - , to Is. 9d.;pef, do'ze'n, And grapes Bd. fo Is. per lb. Wholesale metchtets 86mplain that .the market is not att&hded. With thd saiiiß ;keefittess <tfl f&ling .as, in re'eent season's, and state that although ffluch more fruit is . available, there are further reasons to account for lower prices. Th'o yields of jte'achekj' 'plutiaSj 'And riefitarinfes, especially the last-mentioned fruit, have uecit better in the Waitemata and north of Auckland district. Hot-house grapes, on the dther hand,, are in. poorer condition, and lacking in colour, ton H'ccqlint of the- prevalence ofthe m'ealv bug'. The supplios of obtdpbr graces,' vfliich. prihcitially come from Albany, the Wadfe, and Henderson, are dfie in aboilt a fortnight. Present indication's point tb a continuation of satisfactory prices;