THE APPLE INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1396, 23 March 1912, Page 4

THE APPLE INDUSTRY.

— fr "BOLSTERED VV." A gentleman interested in the fruit Inulo in Wellington hikes exception to certain conditions of tlio apple industry. His contention is that there, is a full market at satisfactory'prices for nil the saleable apples that aro grown in the Dominion, and that tho encouragement given to growers to export the best of their crops t) Kngland is directly inimical to the public of New Zealand, firstly because the local market only gets tho "seconds," mid by sending away the top-grodo apples tho price of the lower grades is forced higher than should bo the case. "What is tho position to-dnvP If wo want to import apples from lasmania or America, we have to pay Id. per lb. duty. It can hardly 1« considered a protective duty, becauso wo don't import any during our own season, so tho public pays. Again, the export industry is encouraged by tho Uovernment guaranteeing exporters Id. per lb. (in the apples exported—that penny is paid by the public. "So, in brief, the position is that the grower is assured of at. least Id. per lb. for his exported fruit, and by exporting (lie better sorts of his crop, assures himself of a good price locally. We don't get the best Motueka apples in Wellington--they go Home. Wo get tho second and third grades, and to-day they aro bringing Bs. to fls. per '101b. caso, while the first grade shift' may rot on tho trip, or, if luckv, mav fetch ss. or Gs. a case in London." But' to my mind this export trade in apples is being bolstered up at the expense of the public, who aro the real sufferers. A much better idea to lielp the trade would be for the Government to erect cold stores in Wellington, so that wo euild obtain an even supply, and the grower* an even price all (lie year round. At present the import niv.l export penny touches the public both ways.'