A Fruit Mystery.

Manawatu Herald, 17 June 1899, Page 3

A Fruit Mystery.

It was stated a few days ago that in March last nine oases of apple?, uouHidertd tu be suitadle for export, were packed and then placed in a cool chamber ab the Auckland Frefz ing Compauy'B works, where they bad been for the last three months. List Thursday the fruit was to have been removed to Messrs Yates and Co'a store and opened, and the grower of the variaty that stood the trial best would be awarded a first prize of £8, the second prize being £2, About eight different kind of apples were packed, the Auckland Horticultural Society supervising the tests, and the prize money being pro vided by the Government. It has transpired that on the date mentioned application was made in due course to the Freezing Company for the fruit, in order that the cases should be. opened and the awards made. To the astonishment of thi Horticultural Society, the nine cases of fruit could not be found. A large number of fruit-growers assembled on Tuesday la9fc at the stores of Messrs Yates and Co , great interest being taken in the matter on account of the commercial interests involved. The attitude rf the Freezing Com pany is understood to be that it did not receive the fruit at the date alleged, oi about that date, which is March 6. The fruit was shown at the Horti cultural Soci(ty'a 9how on March 3rd and 4tb, and Sunday was the 5 h, and the show being closed, the ninf cases of fruit, it i* alleged, were, at 8 o'clock on Monday, carted to the Freezing Works. The caeea were most distinctive in appearance, and the apples were wrapped in tissue* paper and placed in what U known as the "Brisbane bushel case," which has been adopted by the Government. The approved cases were new, and were labelled, •• A.H.8., No. " (of competitor), and sealed to prevent any possibility of their being tampered with. Nothing waß known of the disappearance of the fruit until the time came to pro. dace it ftfe Mtnu Yatee «nd Co.'i

premises on Tuesday last, in order to inspect the phipment. ' Fruitgrowers are greatly chagrined, and more especially at, the lns<i of experience they anticipated gaining as the result of the experiment. The Government has been apprised of the circumstances surrounding this mysterious affair so far as they are , known. The manager for the new proprietor of the Fret zing Works states that •' the goods in question do not appear in the stock li-fo of merchandise in lho works wbpn thfi propr-rty was transferred on May 10^h Farther, there wan so little fruit ston-d in the fruit room ihak it ootild not have escaped observation in checking stock." ■