Blackball

[NZBC]

There is a great scarcity of vegetables on this district. Owing to various causes, cottage gardens are not in a flourishing condition. The only growers for the market are a few Chinese gardeners, and thevr prices are something to be' remembered. Fancy .paying sixpence for a few wilted leaves that could not by any stretch of imagination be. called a head of cabbage ,and that would not make more than a mouthful for a heal thy goat. To see his buncl/cs of carrots, parsnips, etc., one cavfaot help coming to the conclusion that Wong Fat must arrange his lots -by the use of the gold scales. We often hear that the land in the Grey Valley compares favorably with other parts of the Dominion. If this is so what the deuce are the farmers doing tl/at they 1 don't pay a little attention to market gardening when they have such market at their doors? Some years ago a shrewd Scotchman in Auckland wont in for that line, and in such a thorough manner that tie drove the Chinese gardeners out of the field and at the same time he paid his hands (white men) the ruling rate of wages and only worked them S hours a day. Now. with regard to potatoes we are in a bad position too. During the iast two months potatoes have been retailed at the rate of 16s a cwt. Think of this, my brother sufferers, and next time you interview your storeKeeper ask him why is this thus ? Price in Dunedin— say five pounds a tori f.o.b. (free on board) to which add freight to Grey 15s; wharf 2s, train 10 Ngahere 2s; carting to Blackball 10s; total £6 9s. Allowing us for evaporation of moisture us and other waste leaves a profit to the retailer of £0 a ton ! "Oh my." Grey River Argus , 30 January 1909, Page 3