FRUIT SALVAGED

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21280, 26 November 1940, Page 2

FRUIT SALVAGED

SAMPLES FROM RUBBISH TIP RESIDENTS REAP HARVEST (By Telegraph.—Special to Times) WELLINGTON, Tuesday Apples dumped, reportedly by the Internal Marketing Division, at the Liardet Road tip, Vogeltown, have provided a small harvest for residents of the locality in recent weeks. A resident who gathered them on Friday said he had recovered a large sackful from quantities shot over the tip by, he understood, the Marketing Division. Of six or eight pounds of Delicious apples which he exhibited, the bulk were in good condition except for light bruising on some. This man said others like himself had. obtained good quantities from the tip from time to time. They were too valuable to let go to waste. The practical test of eating them bore out his contention. He asked why it was that apples which were selling at from 4d to 6d a lb should have been thrown to waste. All the apples dumped on the pit were not in first-class condition, but the majority were perfectly eatable. There were several orphanages in the district and he thought that the Internal Marketing Division, if it were the division which had dumped the fruit, should have distributed them to such institutions instead. This man also said he had been told that not long ago 2£ tons of potatoes went over the tip at Vogeltown. Many people would like to know why. There was not much evidence of the fruit or potatoes at the tip because they were covered over by a bulldozer working there levelling off the tip. Official’s Explanation “ The inspection of fruits is carried out very carefully by officers of the Agricultural Department, and on their certificate of rejection the Marketing Department disposes of the fruit so rejected,” said an official of the Internal Marketing Division to whom the matter was referred last night. “ The usual procedure is for arrangements to be made for the disposal of this fruit to pig-farmers and others. Apparently the apples referred to were in cases disposed of as suggested, but there could only bf. one or two good apples which migVit have been in several cases human consumption.” '