AUCKLAND EXPERIENCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 11 March 1908, Page 10

AUCKLAND EXPERIENCE.

(Fbom Oub Own CoßßESPom>Eirr.) AUCKLAND, February 29. The withdrawal of the restrictions prohibiting the importation of Australian grapes into New Zealand and the reduction of the import duty to one »ienny per pound, has not had the effect of cheapening this class of fruit ,in our markets to any appreciable extent, says a writer in the Herald. Some of our politicians who, for unaccountable reasons, protested to believe that the New Zealand fruit-growers were making fortunes^ by exorbitant prices, freely stated that if the restrictions on Australian grapes were removed we would at once be able to buy them in New Zealand at 3d per pound. That grapes at anything like this price would be a boon and a blessing to the general public no one will deny, but wo are not likely to «cc it brought about by Australian importations. The various consignments already received show that the better class of Australian grapes have not been 6old wholesale at less than 9d and lOd per lb, and even inferior grapes have realised 6d. A Sydney shipper, writing on this subject, declares that ho requires 8d per pound for some of the I finer grapes to clear his bare expenses, I while as the steamer freight alone is put down at Id per pound on grapes and the import dtrty Id per pound, it only requires a moderate estimate for landing; charges, insurance, and auctioneer's commission to bring up the actual cost to la I per pound wholesale. This is by no means I the final price, because before these srrapes ' reach the consumer there will be an addi- < tional chaTge of from 2d to 3d per T>oundJ - for distribution by the reatiler. Even tha lowest priced grapes of the first consign* ment which arrived in Auckland and soldi lat under 6d per pound in the auction I rooms, were marked at Bd> per pound when they appeared in the retail shops. Evi* dently. if we are to have cheap "rapea mi New Zealand, we shall have to depend on our own growers. That cheap grapea i can be raised in this country is evident, I because, although there are as yet no larjro areas of established vineyards, New Zea-< land-grown outdoor grapes have been retailed at as low as 4d P er P 0 ""^- NAPIER. March 5. A shipment of about 22501b of SoutH Australian prapes was sold by auction to- • day. The bulk of these well paoked in cork shavingw. came to hand in good condition, and realised from 4£d to" 53d per lb. A quantity, however, was sent in baskets without any packing, and these were in very bad order and brought only Id per lb.