[?]'s Capacity for
pp. 57-59 · Read in the full issue
Miles
[?]Bananas
[?]'s Capacity for Tropical Fruit
s reported that New Zealanders ire the world’s champion cold ountry banana-eaters—in 1955, ■ding to statistics, they con d no less than 250 million nas. This means that in 1955 ’ man, woman and child in the inion ate more than 125 bananas, ind to end, 250 million bananas 1 measure about 3,500 miles. v Zealand always has been re d as a good banana and orange et by the nearer tropical is of Fiji, Tonga, Western oa, and Cook Islands—its ;ite for those tropical fruits it times seemed insatiable, one time, Fiji held most of banana market—the luscious let of the Rewa Valley seemed NZ’s favourite. But, steadily, a and Tonga bored in, and Cook Islands bananas (the 5 usually produce mostly es for export) got a place. Ip and 1954, Fiji supplied half of Zealand’s imported bananas; >5-56 the proportion was down ne-third—due partly to in >d consumption, partly to sr marketing by Samoa, partly ji’s production being reduced ceptional floods, ire is another cause. Fiji ex 's are nqt making sufficient use frigeration, and the otherwise lor Fiji banana arrives in NZ imes in poor condition, com with the consistently chilled la from Samoa. Fiji traders ire taking the matter seriously,
lemanding reforms.
A. F. R. Stoddart, CMG, who een Colonial Secretary in Fiji yeral years, completed 30 years itish Colonial Office service on 27. He expects to go on long late this year, prior to retire
, uncomfortable vessels; to ice from engine spares and the ical impossibility of carrying range of engine spares aboard; nplete absence of safe harbours lipways for carrying out neces naintenance. example of what happens was in March. A skipper arrived Auckland in January to take Taveuni from Captain Henry ion (now Second Officer in m vessel John Williams ). En to Penrhyn with a big load of passengers, Taveuni’s motor down. With little wind, the drifted for days before the e was temporarily repaired, meanwhile were being air ted from England and Auck and when the Taveuni eventu rrived back at Avarua, Raro the engine refit commenced side the jetty. t to this, on March 9, Inspire longside this same jetty when