POTATO SHORTAGE IN DUNEDIN

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5304, 17 January 1947, Page 5

POTATO SHORTAGE IN DUNEDIN

Black Marketeers Openly Flouting Controls DUNEDIN, last night Although some potatoes are findlng their way into the city, the ae-ute

shortage remains, and many people are still without supplies. Even the relief that could for-merly ihe obtained by purehases direct from ihe marlcet gardens appears now ''to be denied. Residents who have gone hopefully to these sources have found that at all easily accessible gardens the early crop of potatoes has been sold out. Over a week has passed since the Price Tribunal in Wellington was approaehed about increasing the price of potatoes, but so far the only response has been an intimation that the matter is receivmg.ieonsideration. In the meantime, -merchants state, t'he position has gone from bad to v/orse. Many growers having sold the bnlk of their early crops, intend to save the balance for seed. Outram, 20 miles from the city, was a busy centre on Saturday, with hundreds of cars calling for potatoes In some instances -retail- j ers and others turned to with forks and dug their own requirements. j "The black niarket in potatoes lias never been worse," said a merchant. "While some retailers are selling at 42-d. as per the price order, numbers are openly flouting the order ' and eliarging 6d. per lb. The price order shows that there will be a further drop of £10 a ton on Pehraary 1. It is quite apparent that the same conditions are likely to rule next month as apply at present. This means that a man with a motor car will be able to buy his potatoes. at the week-end, but the -man who is not so fortunate, will have to purchase at black market prices from the shops."