Something to think over.

Manawatu Herald, 29 August 1895, Page 3

Something to think over.

The fruit statistics for Califorina forthe year 1890 will rather surprise our readers. In that year there was 11 shipped overland " that is, sent by train, fresh fruit seventy million pounds weight, fresh fruit dried, and raisins 287 million pounds, fresh fruit canned 114£ million pounds, tnd grapes used to make 17 million gallons of wine, 221 million pounds. On the Ist March, 1891, the number of fruit trees was 15 million, and 225,000 acres were in grape vines I This is what we do in the colony : — Imported 12,194 dozen of bottled and preserved fruits ot the value of £8,872, of which 10,413 dozen oame from the West Coast of the Unitod States. Imported £7,984 worth of dried (unenumerated) fruits, a fifth of which came from America. Currants of the value of £13,145 and raisins of the value of £13,610 were also imported. We also imported fresh fruit from Victoria New South Wales, Fiji and Italy, and from Tasmania (1,981,---4701b5), all making close on four million pounds weight, and on which one half-penny a pound duty is levied. The value of the fruit is put afc"sßl,lß4 and the duty at $8,094. Other fresh fruit, admitted duty free totalled over 14£ million pounds and was valued at £62,926. It would appear possible for the colony to save the cost of the bottled fruits £3,872, and dried fruits 417,984, also all importations from Tasmania, some £15,000, in all a Bum of £26,000.