Oranges Unfit
p. 62 · Read in the full issue
20 Per Cent, of C.l.
THE first of this season’s shipments of oranges from the Cook Islands to N.Z. under the “control” scheme in volved the Government in a dead loss. A record shipment of 24,800 cases was mkde, but on arrival in Auckland it was found that 20 per cent, were unfit for human consumption, and the rejected fruit was dumped at sea.
The fault apparently lay in the fact that the oranges were picked a week be fore they actually were loaded aboard the steamer. Thjs was in anticipation that the “Matua” would load them when she arrived at Rarotonga on her way to the Outer Islands. Running a day late, she stopped only long enough to unload in
ward cargo. As there is no refrigerated store in Rarotonga, the fruit remained on the wharf until the boat returned three days later.
Some New Zealand experts, however, consider that a development in the growth of C.I. oranges has affected their keeping qualities; and steps are being taken to carry out research in the Group with the object of eliminating th.ese de fects.