NEW ZEALAND FRUIT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 1967, 26 January 1914, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND FRUIT.

, - S\ hTEM OV .DISTRIBUTION. I The condition of the fruit markets of New .Zealand at the present tinw is -a very strong argument. in '.favour of a complete revolution in the methods, of handling this valuablo article of food, : says the special .-commissioner of the J'New Zealand Herald." ; ■ Tho State, through the various Government Departments, have . done good work for the fruit-gfqwing industry in the way of establishing experiment or- ■ chards,. appointing officers to assist in combating insect and fungoid pests, pas,sin,? legislation to -prevent the introduction of diseased fruits from other countries and the.distribution of diseasefrom infested orchards in this country, and have performed many othfli' useful duties. ' This has had the effect of ' stimulating, fruit-grpwiftg' to n. great degree, and has made it possible for the oommereinl orcha'rdists to produce clean fruit at a cdnVparafively small cost, -But there is another work in which the State must Hike a haad, and that is in developing some scheme for the economical distribution of fruit, : ; ' Pile dairy-farmer and the meat pro- ' ; "ducer in New Zealand have found that sinco refrigeration lias opened to them ; tho markets of the world local distribui tiou has-been' absolutely forced into . economical lines.. If all fruits like tho i 'apple could'bo kept in cool stores or sent > 'abroad at tho eonvciiie-iico of the grsiyi ers, like dairy -produce, there would. be i no difficulty about 1 controlling tho Iceal markets; but fruit.like peaches, plums, nectarines, and many varieties of pears . are so quickly perishable, that immediate . I and carefuj distribution is nn absolute ! : necessity.■ Under'the'present' cumber- 1 i somo system by which delicate and valu- j able fruit is sent like second-hand goods to auction rooms and bumped around to 1 various retail shops to wait there until [ tho general public comes to buy it and ..carry it home in paper bags, there is . 'an enormous waste--of- valuable material , and time. There are two .distinct classes : f of people who . are .very much interested ' in preventing such: waste —these are tho fruit-growers and the general public. ■}. Tho fruit-grower, knows, or ought to know, that every extra bump which a * case of peaches or. plums roeeive due to . unnecessary handling means bruising ' and. rapid decay. The ■ -general public j know,' or ought to know, that much of I the cost of extra, carting, extra liaudli ing, injury to fruit, etc., is laid tijjon : its"shoulders. It knows, or ought to •• know, that owing to the present clumsy, 1 stupid system it scarcely ever gets fruit ! at anything like cheap rates, and never ' gets fruit at its best; If city people only j. had the opportunity of enjoying fruit [■ properly ripened on the trees, -they ! ; would never be content with tile immaturo,".-- flavourless, undeveloped fruit ' which they largely-buy now.