CHEAPER ORANGES WANTED

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22110, 4 June 1937, Page 10

CHEAPER ORANGES WANTED

REQUEST FOR LIFTING OF RESTRICTIONS GOVERNMENT'S PROMISES APPRECIATED "This chamber thanks the Government for its promises of the removal of hindrance against an abundant supply of oranges in the future; it hopes that while the present dearth of oranges continues the import duty \of 7s 6d a case on oranges imported from foreign countries be lifted and that the fixation of high prices for Cook Island oranges of inferior quality be abandoned and that the fixation of the prices of other imported oranges be discouraged in the interests oi consumers in the Dominion." This was a motion carried by the council of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce last night after it haa discussed the recent statement by the Acting-Minister for Customs (the Hon. Mark Fagan) that restncr tions on imports from Australia, except from the fly-infected areas, would be relaxed from the end « November to the beginning of April. The president (Mr V. E. Hamilton) described the Acting-Minister's announcement as unsatisfactory. The n«* ing of the embargo, except on fly-in-fected areas, he considered essential. "The Government is trying to gjV» us a sop, though I want to divorce tWS from political consideration," said Mr W. Machin. "Many of the oranges now arriving from the Cook Islands are very poor. In many cases 50 per cent, are rotten and waste. The prices are fixed by the case so that oranges are very dear when there is sucn waste." . "Traders who deal in oranges should be given a free go," said Mr M. J- Bussell. "It will give them a chance to see if they can get a satisfactory supply at a price satisfactory to the public, because the Government seems to have made a hell of a mess at it." Mr Machin urged that the Government should be requested to give lest consideration to the Cook Island growers and more to the New Zealand consumer, and he incorporated this in his original motion. It was later dropped. Mr S. Mair complained that the chamber was always criticising the Government. It should express its thanks for what had already been done. "I would sooner we appreciated what has been promised than what has been done," Mr Machin said. He added that his objection was to the high prices fixed for Cook Island oranges to the detriment of the New Zealand consumer. The motion, originally advanced bf Mr Machin, was remodelled and carried.