CITRUS FRUIT

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 84, 5 October 1940, Page 7

CITRUS FRUIT

CONTROL OF CANKER

DISCUSSION IN COUNCIL

The need for protecting the citrus fruit industry of New Zealand was stressed by members of the Legislative] Council yesterday afternoon, when the Orchard and Garden Diseases Bill was passed, but one member expressed the opinion that the industry should not have a monopoly of the citrus-fruit market until it was in a position to supply consumers at a reasonable price. The Leader of the Council (the Hon. D. Wilson), who asked to have the Bill put through all stages from the second reading, outlined the measure and said that it was mainly for the purpose of controlling citrus canker. The Hon. B. C. Robbins (Auckland) said that lemons, grapefruit, and oranges grown in the Auckland Proi vince were equal to anything that could be imported, and the industry should be protected against imported diseases. The Hon. Sir R. Heaton Rhodes (CanI terbury) expressed regret that more ! drastic action against the importation [of tree and plant diseases had not been j taken many years ago. j The Hon. J. Cotter (Auckland) supported the measure, but said that he considered the control of the sale of lemons by regulation was wrong at the present time. Householders who I needed lemons could not buy them because they were too dear, and lemons were rotting in some gardens because the gardeners could not take them to the market. It was wrong to give a monopoly to a group before that group could supply requirements at a reasonable price.