ISLAND FRUIT

Hokitika Guardian, 1 December 1925, Page 3

ISLAND FRUIT

WKI.I.IXGTOX, Nov. ■> 0 The Cook Islands population

healthy ami extending, but there i* dissatisfaction in New Zealand's dependency over tin l difficulties <>t linn - i keting its fruit in llic- Dominion. | .JmTgc Ay-on. Resident Commissioner, wlio is paying mi oilicial vi-it to Now Zealand.' status: "We are continuing pi make prngre-- in variou- iliiections. lint just at present there is dissatisfaetion regarding space lor shipping fruit on tlie mail steamers, also in regard to prices tor Iniit. I he.se grievances of growers and shippeis have existed for many years. At times the position lias appeared to he mote hopeful, l>ut n permanent improvement is what i- wanted. Our aim is to become as self-supporting as possible, and naturally ihe < rux of the situation is jour export trade. Orowels cannot he expected to expend capital lor the mowing of such crops as bananas and tomatoes unless they have a reasonable assurance ot getting their ptodme away ami of obtainin'; prices which will give them a fair return. I lie prowi lie of these crops is mine 01 less of a speculation at present. To obtain space mi southward-bound mail steamers we are almost entirely dependent on the amount of cargo that i> landed at Tahiti. This is nearly always an uncertain f|Uitntity. Freitrlits are high. Imt it i- thought that shippers would not mind this so much had they an assured prospect of getting their produce carried to satisfactory markets. On the other hand, if we ship large quantities of fruit, prices drop immediately and become more unpayable, which shows that either there is faulty distribution at the New Zealand end. or 1 else that New Zealand is not able to absorb large quantities of tropical fruits. It has been suggested that there has been control of prices in some cases, but. in me opinion, whatever faults there are lie more with the New Zealand merchant than with local trailers at Rarotonga. For some time the administration has been making strong j endeavours to improve the conditions | complained of. and it stiUls doing so.