CITRUS FRUIT

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 131, 30 November 1936, Page 6

CITRUS FRUIT

N.Z.-AND AUSTRALIA

THE EMBARGO PROBLEM

A further effort to solve the difficulty between Australia and New Zealand in regard to citrus fruit and potatoes is to be made, and negotiations between the two countries will be opened shortly. ■ • "W--5 have, received from the Prime Minister of Australia, the Rt. Hon. J. A. Lyons, a cable message asking us to discuss the New Zealand embargo on Australian citrus fruit," states the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon., M. J. Savage), "and we are perfectly willing to negotiate for a settlement of an old trade dispute. A full investigation of the question is in hand. We want to know all the details, because there are many interests involved. The Australian Minister of Commerce, Dr. Earle Page, has been reported' as hay : ing said in the Federal House of Representatives at Canberra the other day that the Commonwealth Government had entered into communication with the New Zealand Government to see what could be done to overcome the embargo placed by New Zealand on Australian citrus fruit. "There are, of course, two sides to the embargo, just as there are to every story, and the other question in this trade difficulty is: What can be done to overcome the embargo placed by the Australian Government on New Zea-. land potatoes? The balance of trade, is in favour of Australia. Still, we are, going to attend to the requirements of our people just the same, whether these needs are oranges or anything else. The Minister of Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G; Sullivan) is investigating the situation with a view to increasing supplies of oranges from Australia. ■"The general question, however, goes further than meeting New Zealand's immediate requirements in citrus fruit. Our own citrus -orchardists also require consideration, and there is> the seasonal supply of oranges from New Zealand's own tropical islands, where j there is scope for a great development of citrus fruit production." Referring to the possibility oft-exten-sive plantations of citrus fruit,, trees in North Auckland, particularly in the Kerikeri district, the Prime Minister said that growers there and elsewhere in New Zealand were experiencing certain difficulties and disadvantages in the meantime, but the citrus fruit industry was growing steadily. All these facts had to be taken into consideration,' and the Government would look closely at everything before' coming to any conclusive decision or hard-and-fast agreement. Meanwhile, the Government was and willing to negotiate ; with the Australian Government in the most friendly manner. ■