FRUIT REGULATIONS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1193, 31 July 1911, Page 10

FRUIT REGULATIONS.

DRASTIC ALTERATIONS PROPOSED. AUSTRALIAN SHIPMENTS CONCERN'ED. LOCAL DEALERS PERTURBED. A proposil to alte- the present regulations rog-iriUn.j tlio admission ci i'ruit from ' Australh into tlio Dominion has just come to the knoivlodge of local dealers, although it is apparent that negotiations havo been going 011 between the No ; Zealand and New Smith Wales Departments of Agriculture for some little time. During the past week several private letters have been received from Australia complaining about the proposed alterations, and tho following letter from a big Australian grower gives a general idea of the tone of the communications which have disturbed the local dealers:— Growers will not Submit. "Tho New Zealand regulations or restrictions, or whatever you liko lo call them, are going to down 'you this season. Growers will not submit to having 10 per oent. of tjie fruit emptied at Sydney. I for 0110 will not—it is no good to me. It simply means reducing that 10 per cent, to half price, and the (lose will be repeated at Wellington, so what is the 11 so of growing fruit to he knocked about liko that to keep wasters in tho Government service employed. I darii say you will get some truit from the market, whero they will dodge tho regulations by getting tho fri'it' inspected before it is packed, but it is liardly likely that growers will go to the (rouble of packing fruit up to have it nllaged in this fashion. Besides. imagine us sending 2000 cases as usual, and SCI) of them to bo held up for emptying and repacking. It means sending a couple of days early, and when fruit is ripe that sort of thing will not do in front of the journey to New Zealand. Feeling very Bitter. "Tho growers are very bitter over it, end I think your projects cl' getting much fruit from them are very poor indeed. Wo are amazed at Mr. Kirk agreeing to, not to say formulating, such regulations. I will'not send fruit to bo Dying on tho pavement of tho fumigator for a couple of days, and so reach you in bad rrder. Tho result would be that it would bring low prices that will not pay. Say Good-bye to Grower Clients., "Aly advico to you is to try for the mnrkut fruit from agent shippers, in whose interests the regulation was framed. We cannot close our, eyes to facts. It is simply playing into 'the agents' hands an-1 prohibiting the grower, and stopping hone-it trading. The agents will get fruit away under any regulations (tips will do anything), wd that is where your supplies will .come from, but I think you can say. good-bye (o your grower clients. Give mv compliments to •Jlr. Kirk and the substance of this letter. While I wish to send to you, for tho present I do not'see my way clear. . . I ,c ; m assure you growers aro very wrath."

Inquiry locally failed (o bring forth tiio twiiii; of tho proposed regulations, but' tin authoritative statement was made that there had been no change whatever made in tho regulations so far, nor was it likely to he made fur some time. At the same time it was indicated that a proposal whs on foot to mnhc certain alterations in compliance with the expressed desires of Australian shippers. The Proposed Alterations, From an outside source altogether we learn that tho Department of Agriculture in Neiv South Wales has received a lettpy from tho Department ia New Zeiland covering tho following suggested alterations Shippers must certify that 110 ph.vl-

loxera or fruit fly is known to cxjsfc within a quarto'- of a mile of tho orchard or vineyard concerned (instead of one mile, as formerly). • Irnit from States where fruit fly exists must bo ac3o-.np.lmcd by a statutory declaration (instead of ccrt'ficato ns hitherto) fromtho shipper to tlio effect that no fruit ily or/ phylloxera is know i to exist within a quarter mile of tlio orcluul or vineyard; also that no fruit from any other orchard or vineyard than that named has been mixed ivitli the consignment. In thfe_ ease of fruit, other than jrapes, the Department's officer must m'tffy thnt ho has errpticd at least 10 per cent, of each lot and thoroughly examined it.

Grcsn and unripe lemons will he admitted if accompanied by a certificate from tho shipper stating that they were green nnd thoroughly unriuo flieii shipped. Ripe lemons' will be admitted if accompanicd by ,i ceitificate from tho shipper nnd tho inspector as to freedom. from disease. These aro similar conditions lo those npplj--ing to pineapples and passion fruit". A footnote to the above regulations states that tliey have not yet been finally approved, but are at present milder the consideration of the New. Zealand Crown law officers. Mid it is hoped to bring them into force soon.