ISLAND FRUIT TRADE

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 79, 24 June 1927, Page 2

ISLAND FRUIT TRADE

w. G. TAYLOR IN REPLY RECENT SHIPMENTS REVIEWED Mr. W. G. Taylor, of Taipara p tonga, writes as follow?; "In your issue of June 1 forth Messrs. Harvey Turner's 'p * isher s defence. Mr. Turner™ tends that the buyers have not wl’ making money out of their Lr** purchases. This onlv goes to rSE * s that the trade is bankrupt, becaui'?? growers are not getting “* of them either. Moreover S hts m for a Een ‘ rai "Mr. Turner has a grievance bn, is not against the growers thev b “ played the part of the milch cow k enough. It is against their bur for slack methods in executing n commissions, also against the ministration, for slackness in carrvi out the clause of the fruit reguSj* controlling the buying of fruit for J BS port. “Being an observer of the resrvi tions I am in a. position to make v’ Turner an offer, which I will <*], ‘double corner’ one. because hi* 1 , a ceptance will prove my contenting while his refusal will disprove h" contentions, and end the controv**!'* either way. The 1927 season is ished as far as Rarotonga goes *ot will make my offer for first tfeiei trips of Auckland direct steamer fo! “I offer 50 cases each boat, at price f.0.b.. based on the landed pJJ ex ship in Auckland, at the following rates, per dozen, with a 10 per ctn* allowance for wastage (any loss would mean that the oranges received bad carriage which with the Waipahi should not occur). Cases iso pack Is. 216 pack lOd. 240 pack 264 puck Sd, 30S pack 7d. . “Take the main packs ISO’s and 216? you get an average of lid per doieru as against Is 2d per dozen, which » cladmed to be extortionate. “This offer will allow Mr. Turtjfto land oranges at 20 per cent than he claims to be the present cost and it will allow' me 30 per cent profit on the price (ss) fixed by the growers’ committee for the last 'Waipahi ship, ment —20 per cent, in his firm’s pockc: 30 per cent, in mine, and the growth satisfied. The move is Mr. Turner* so let us hear from him, through your columns. Mr. Turner must arrange his own insurance, as he does at pres, ent, for my liability ceases when fniit is shipped, according to custom. Further quantities can be arranged if desired, subject, of course, to my space allotments. The claim that the natives only apply for space when prices are good is a misrepresentation, and nobody knows it better than Mr. Fisher. Mr. Fisher made a very comfortable living here for a number of years, and he at least should be generous enough to be accurate in his statements to the press when he ia adversely criticising the growers. “The circumstances under which the Waipahi obtained her last cam would make interesting reading, but lack of space prevents me from outlining them. Sufficient to say that small and all as the cargo was there was sufficient to permit of a quantity going South, if there is anything in tho wireless to hand from Wellington, saying that Makura cargo landed la good order, but met a poor marfce;. owing to shipment ex Waipahi. Aa> the natives were the bulk of the ship.pers by the Makura, the Auckland buyers will no doubt rejoice that th« shipments by the "Waipahi nrrivin!; just prior to the Makura had the effect' of depressing the Southern market. This would indicate that th<* small shipment was too much for Auckland consumption. The grower? are averse to shipping to Auckland on consignment for the following reasons: “(1) The c.i.f. price is based on the f.o.b. price, if cargo lands in good order, thus we cannot expect more than buyers offer f.o.b. and very likely get less, “(2) The Auckland agents penally Cook Island growers with an extra !| per cent, commission. “(3) The charge for cartage is excessive. "When we know that a larp' portion is sold on the wharf and buyers do their own carting, the charge on actual cases carted must be Is case, wharf to markets, as wjjj debited with 5d on the whole lot. Tbu includes wharfage about Id per case- “( 4) Were a grower to ship a lm* of graded and well-packed fruit w would have to consign to an ag«ni. who had purchases of Bush pack inferior in every way to his own. As the Union Steam Ship Compm refuse to recognise individual own* * ship and refuse to admit sub-ma both lines would be of the same B/ mark, and the system of sale makes almost impossible to sort out each! im so the a/c sale would probably ** average of all lines. Good P* c for Auckland is of no benefit. “f 5) Auckland formerly had if reputation of buying in and the pression still remains. , “We formerly had a servic* o - trips a year to Auckland, but OWW to the treatment we receive a hands of the A.F.M., the service fallen away to a boat in oraitge MM” trip to trip, if sufficient , " du s®" offers. The Ngakuta finally the trade. Where will you find grow , planting; up on spec, not r that each trip is the last for tne J To-day wo find a great effort 1 * made to build up a service to£°£ Island, Niue and Samoa, and p«' later on, the Kermadec Wands, the long-established Eastern r service is in its dying riiilCook Islands, they are nobody" drin; just waifs and straysIMPORTER’S VIEW ISLANDS MUST REORGANISE Having been acquainted Taylor’s letter, Mr. Hao'l ‘ L ~. president of the Auckland■ * te porters’ Association, replied > e could refute all of the stateme there if it were not that ne -j Mr. Taylor was wasting even time. Mr. Taylor spoke with n ority. He neither represents * native growers nor the mercn rT p *r:' is for the Cook Islands to put in trade there in order and supp .. • suitable for the New Zealand >!"• at competitive prices, sw''* >[f< Turner. The fruit mention©*® Taylor’s offer was of a size una *_ ::^rg