AUSTRALIA'S ACTION

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 59, 11 March 1939, Page 14

AUSTRALIA'S ACTION

LITTLE BENEFIT TO N.Z.

"POLITICAL MOVE"

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, March 10

The announcement by the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Lyons, that the Government had decided to permit the importation of 250 tons of potatoes weekly from New Zealand for the next four weeks is regarded as a political move from which the New Zealand grower is likely to benefit very little. There is practically no chance of any potatoes being shipped to Australia this month because the New Zealand crop is not ripe and will not be ripening till well on in April.

To dig potatoes for export now before the frosts have arrived would probably end in disaster. It is more than likely that the potatoes would not be in a good condition when they arrived in Australia, and if they were not Australia would be conveniently provided with an additional, excuse for not lifting the embargo altogether.

What attitude the Commonwealth Government intends to adopt at the end of the four weeks is not, of course, known, but prospects for a further opportunity for export from New Zealand are not considered encouraging. Recent heavy rains in Australia may' not be too late to benefit the crops, and it is possible that New Zealand potatoes will not be wanted later in the season.

In the meantime, the local market has firmed consijeaably. Today's quotations ranged from £6 10s to £7 10s a ton. There has been little change in other markets over the week.