N. Zealand Wants

Bananas!

Prices Defended by Government

NEW Zealanders appear to have become acutely banana-conscious in the last three years. . One mention of this fruit is sufficient to send Dominion newspapers into a heated campaign on banana supplies, lack of banana supplies and banana prices.

Recent mention by a Fiji resident at a Rotary luncheon in Nelson, NZ, that there were abundant supplies of bananas in Fiji only waiting shipping space to the Dominion, reopened the subject and sent everyone into wild argument.

A message from Fiji, on November 16, should settle the Fijian end of the problem: “A recent shipment to Auckland was said to be the smallest ever sent, the reason being that no more bananas were available. As in New Zealand and else where, the calling up of manpower to serve in the armed forces and to work on military construction, had its inevitable effect on production.

Overseas troops also spent money ireely on native mats and curios, and in many native villages' life for those left at home suddenly became much more comfortable and convenient. No longer was there the same incentive to cultivate the land, and the result is to be seen to-day in a considerable decrease in native food production. ‘ln Suva, where bananas grow in any backyard, the retail price is 12 for sixpence. This does not indicate any great abundance.

“The situation will improve as men are released from the Army and the general demand for labour declines.”

NZ Retail Prices Defended

NEW Zealand consumers and Island growers who have been howling about the disparity in prices paid by the one and to the other should be reassured by the following statement made by the New Zealand Minister of Marketing (Mr. Roberts) on November iu I “In the first place,” he said, “it has been stated that the Marketing Division pays 5/- a case for bananas in the Islands. The facts are that the Division pays the following prices f.o.b. Island ports: Samoa, 12/9 a case; Fiji, 12/4* (New Zealand currency); and Tonga", 12/1. These are the prices which are determined between the Division and the selling authorities in the various islands.

“It is quite well known that, with the Pacific war, the availability of shipping for bananas and oranges is at a mini mum, but the Division does import into New Zealand every case of bananas that it is possible to procure from the Islands. It is also a fact that the only shipping point of import for bananas is Auckland, and if other parts of New

Zealand are to have a share of the now reduced supplies, the Division has to incur heavy costs in distributing the fruit toverca P rg r m CaPita baS *' 33 far S ° Uth as “Not only are the costs heavy, but owing to transport conditions, decay and depreciation of the fruit are unavoidable all of which is a cost to the Division!

Actually, the mto-store costs at the main centres, apart from the distribution in ???i n . try m areas > Auckland: Fijian, wm’ , Ton gan, 18/-; Samoan, 18/9.

Wellington: 20/11, 21/9, 21/9. Christ- ’ 24/3 ’ 25/ '- Dunedin: 26/-, “The wholesale price at all these centres is 25/-, except in Dunedin, where 25 / 6 for ? 9 ase of approximately lb. of green fruit.

“Prom this summary it will be seen that, in order to implement the policy of sharmg fruit equally to all parts of New Zealand, the price of 25/- a case (wnich is a maximum one only) does not leave any undue margin for the Division.” ¥ rs * **: T G - Morton have arrived in Sydney from New Guinea. Mrs. Mor superintendent of nursing staff in the Territories, has had four years pLf C °?/r mU u US service, extending from Moresby to Lae, whence she was flown for medical attention and a well earned rest. Sergeant Harvey Morton one of the first group to enlist in Papua bemg P 7) in 1939, has served m Syria, Palestine, Egypt and Libya. On to Australia he resumed his old P°st as manager of; Doa Estate, in Papua.

The Tittlo lady did a wonderful job in New Guinea,” writes a Territorian “When I left Port Moresby, in 1942, Jap ‘pin?

Rouna^ Ilmg aU around her camp P at