DISPOSAL OF SURPLUS FRUIT.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 351, 16 March 1889, Page 5

DISPOSAL OF SURPLUS FRUIT.

If the philosophic mind is astounded by observing with how little wisdom the world isgoverned.no less may the man of the world be amazed when he sees with how little intelligence certain departments of interchange are managed. Tho critical observer cannot fail to be struck by the unimproved opportunities of the fiuit trade in Auckland. Our fruit harvest, always plentiiul, keeps growing every year, both in magnitude and vaiiety, on account of the extensive planting which goes on, and tho large number of fruit trees coming into bearing and increasing their capacity but nothing, or next to nothing, is done in the way of opening up markets for these vnluable products. Hence it is that countr/ settlers are discouraged by finding timb their returns irora consignments of fruit are almost nil, and sometimes even show a debit balance. The price of fruit is lower this year than ever it was before, and that simply because the supply ia in excess of the demand. Apples in particular arc an unprofitable anicle— realising frequently no more than from 2s to 3s per case, a pi ice which is insufficient to pay the expense of bringing the goods to market from any distance. Now, it has been demonstrated that apples can be sent to England, landed in good condition and sold at prices that yield good return?, the only requirements being care in packing, the selection of certain I good keeping varietiep, and the placing of them on the English maiket before early varieties from European orchards can be obtained. That being so, it stands to reason that a splendid market could be obtained with less trouble at San Frunci&co, where our fresh fruit could be landed during the scarce season. It only wants the application of intelligence and enterpri-e to open up these markets for our surplus fruit, and yet these requisites appear lacking. Then, with the facilities for communication which we enjoy, why should nob we do a large business in supplying fresh fruit to Sydney, Fiji, Tahiti, Samoa, and Hawaii? The present season has been a bad one for fruit in New South Wales, and apples which here realise 5s per ca°e, would fetch at least 7s in Sydney at the present moment — surely an ample margin tor expenses and profit. There are large numbers ot European residents at the different island groups we have named, and they would pay high prices for fruits from the temperate zone if they could only obtain them. There is here, we conceive, a pplendid opening for a man with trading insfcinots, fair intelligence ttnd enterprise. The establishment of a regular export trade in our fr©Bh fruits will

do more for the orchardi-b than th*e opening of a hundred jam factories. The latter will no doubt utilise the surplus which would oiherwiso go tv waste, buitheir etlocL in maintaining tJ-e price of iruit at a proh'tablotigurewillbemV. Whi e.therofoie, we rejoice bo see the extension of jam factories and the growth of the fruit-preserving industry in our midst, we believe that the export of our fre*h fruit would prove far more beneficial to orchardists, while it would at the same time yield handsome returns to him who has the courage ar.d ability to organise and establish the trade. — Auckland Star.