10 Dec, 1918.] Packing and Grading of Fruit. 745 



Punnet and Bucket used for " Berry "" Fruits. 



Plate VII. (a) exemplifies a punnet used for retail sale of "berry" 

 fruits (strawberries, raspberries, loganberries, &c.). It contains one 

 and a half imperial pints. 



Plate y.{b) shows a bucket u,sed for containing "berry" fruits, 

 and has a cubical capacity of two imperial gallons. 



" TOPPING " ACT. 



After the I^ruit Cases Act had been in force for some time, its short- 

 comings in the direction of providing a proper basis of value were recog- 

 nised, and an attempt to overcome these was made by the introduction 

 of the Fruit and Vegetable Packing and Sale (Topping) Act in 1913. 



Plate VI.— Trays for Soft Fruits. 



Chief Provisions of '" Topping " Act. 



This was a very simple measure, the chief section of which provided 

 that no person should sell any fruit or vegetables contained in any 

 package, or any lot of loose fruit or vegetables, unless the faced or shown 

 surface of the fruit or vegetables in the package or lot was so packed, 

 disposed, or arranged that the faced or shown surface of the fruit or 

 vegetables was a true indication of the whole of the fruit or vegetables 

 contained in such package or comprised in such lots. This was a step 

 in the right direction, but as was the case when the Fruit Cases Act 

 was introduced, the " Topping " Act met with opposition from many 

 people engaged in the industry, especially from that section which 

 retailed fruit in open cases in the metropolitan markets. 



Shortcomings of " Topping " Act. 



The " Topping " Act has proved very useful in eliminating many 

 abuses from the fruit trade, but has been quite inadequate to provide 



