GROWERS' LOSSES

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 20, 25 January 1938, Page 11

GROWERS' LOSSES

DELAY IN UNLOADING

Owing .to an unfol'tuante set of circumstances, several thousand cases of fruit from districts in Central Otago, which were to have been sold in Wellington, have been ruined. The fruit, which consists mainly of aprie'jts, was on sale this morning, but hs condition was so bad that it scarcely brought the cost of the cases. The main factor contributing to the state of the fruit was the delay in unloading brought about by several reasons. One was yesterday's wet weather, which caused unloading operations to be suspended, and another was the fact that last Saturday was Anniversary Day, and there was no waterfront work. The fruit in the meantime had to remain in the; ship's hold, and when it was finally unloaded and brought into the market lor sale this morning the cases, in some instances, presented a sorry spectacle. The fruit which was unloaded this morning. was dispatched from Rox-, burgh by train to Dunedin on January 19, reaching there on January 20. It was loaded > on to the train and reached Lyttelton the same evening. It was shipped on the Friday and finally arrived in Wellington on Saturday, which was Anniversary Day. The following day was a Sunday, and yesterday heavy rain prevented unloading. This morning the fruit was discharged. A second consignment of fruit, which left Roxburgh on Thursday last, was loaded on to the steamer at Lyttelton on Saturday for discharge at Wellington yesterday. However, rain prevented the unloading of this cargo also, and it was carried back to Lyttelton last night. This consignment is expected back here tomorrow, but tomorrow is the date of the Wellington watersiders' picnic. Arrangements have been made for the fruit to be unloaded by members of the permanent staff if that is possible. Another consignment of fruit will arrive in Lyttelton today, but owing to the picnic here tomorrow there will be another delay. The general state of the fruit that arrives in Wellington from the Central Otago districts is .reasonably good, but this consignment is practically worthless, and growers will suffer a heavy loss.