FRUIT EMBARGOES

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 104, 26 January 1933, Page 10

FRUIT EMBARGOES

Considered Contrary to Ottawa Spirit RETALIATORY DANGER Dominion Special Service. Auckland, Jan. 24. “Embargoes do not support the Ottawa spirit, and I hope the deadlock in the fruit trade between the Commonwealth and New Zealand will not be aggravated,” said Mr. E. P. N. Sheedy, chairman of directors of the United Press Association of Australia, who arrived in Auckland this week. Mr. Sheedv is also chairman of directors of the Newcastle “Morning Herald” and is interested in orange-growing in AusU “In’regard to the retaliatory action evidenced in the present fruit embargo, I can’t say that Australia had altogether played its part, and I feel that there may be very just reason for New Zealand to feel aggrieved, but at. the same time I think that there should he a reasonable solution of a mutual difficulty,” said Mr. Sheedy. “I understand that New Zealand lias placed the embargo on Australian oranges because Australia will not admit New Zealand apples.” Fire Blight Fear. ■ Mr. Sheedy added that there had been a highly scientific controversy in relation.to the anxiety in regard to fire blight in the New Zealand apple orchards, and for that reason the Australian Agricultural Department had stood , out definitely against any suggestion to lift the embargo on apples. So far as he understood fire blight, Mr. Sheedy said that he believed that it had existed in California and English orchards for over 50 years. Iti seemed to him that undue emphasis was laid on it, for after all it was a sap disease that could be controlled. On the other hand, the New Zealand authorities claimed that tiiere was event possibility of trouble in the importation of Australian oranges because of the danger of the fruit fly being introduced. He found 'it hard to follow this argument in face of the fact that approximately half the amount of oranges imported from Australia, to the Dominion was imported from the Cook Islands, which were known not to be free of citrus troubles. Confidence Desirable. Mr. Sheedy said the big difficultly in tiie way of mutually settling the fruit embargo difficulty was apparently the scientific controversy, and while he had great regard for expert opinion he thought it imperative that the more reasonable side of the matter should receive urgent and practical treatment. The relative trade and business of the two countries were suffering, and he suggested that to get down to a practical business viewpoint a conference of the two Government departments should be called and representative growers and merchants ’of the two countries Invited to participate. He had great confidence that if such a conference were called before the present conditions were aggravated a practical solution would be found. “But it appears to me that the matter of apples and oranges is not the real bone of contention in these embargo measures,” said Mr.- "Sheedy. “If we get down to bedrock we will find that potatoes are the difficulty. The records of tiie two countries will show that a glut of potatoes never occurs on both sides of the Tasman Spa at the one time, and it is therefore unthinkable that any Government would deprive its consuming public of such an important staple food as potatoes if a shortage happened in either country.” MORE FRUIT EXPORTED Past Season’s Figures “Commercial fruitgrowing continues to expand its production,” said the Director-General of Agriculture, Dr. C. J. Reakes, in discussing conditions during the past year. During the 1932 export season 1,501,578 cases of apples and 94,480 cases of pears were shipped, a total of 1,596,058 cases, compared with 1,293,000 cases of apples and 57,000 cases of pears in the preceding season. Dr. Reakes said the export trade was again facilitated by a Government guarantee, enabling advances to grow-' ers to be readily financed by the bank. The conditions of»the guarantee were tightened, however, in order to guard the Consolidated Fund against loss as far as possible, while the growers paid a special levy per case shipped to build up a fund toward meeting any loss. The marketing of the 1932 exports was attended with many special difficulties owing to economic anclal conditions, especially as regards the Continent and the South American markets.

In discussing the poultry industry, Dr. Reakes said it had carried on without any. marked changes during the year. A certain amount of exportation had been made (without a Government guarantee) in order to relieve and stabilise the local market. A very commendable movement to improve the organisation of the industry had been promoted during the year, and it was hoped that definite results would ba attained shortly.

Reference was also 'made by Dr. Reakes to honey production. Although the honey market was in a rather unsettled condition, the industry continued to attract persons with moderate capital. The total number of apiaries registered at the end of the financial year 1931-32 was 7500, comprising 115,850 colonies of bees. Unfavourable weather conditions very much restricted the 1932 crop in several districts, leaving a comparatively small exportable surplus. It might be noted, however, that the per capita consumption of honey within New Zealand was exceptionally high, and the local market was therefore the more important of the two.