FRUIT TRADE

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 July 1933, Page 7

FRUIT TRADE

NEW ZEALAND V. AUSTRALIA. [by CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] CANBERRA, June 30. The New Zealand Government has informed the Commonwealth 'Government that it is not prepared to discuss the removal of the embargo on Australian fruit until negotiations between New Zealand and the Unitdtl States are concluded. Sir Massey Greene, replying to a question in the Senate to-day, said that the New Zealand Government is discussing with the American Government the extent to which it would be possible for the Dominion to admit citrus fruits from certain districts in Australia, that are not affected by the Mediterraneari fruit fly, and yet retain its right to export fruit to America.

BAD WISHES EXPRESSED. CANBERRA, June 30. At the Fruitgrowers’ Conference, to-day, Mr Stewart, Minister of Commerce, answering criticism relative to the Government’s failure to have the New Zealand fruit embargo lifted, said: “This New Zealand embargo may prove a blessing in disguise! It forces us to seek new markets. I am already negotiating with the Canadian Pacific Railway in order to secure concessions which will enable the Australian growers of citrus fruits to exploit the Eastern Canadian provinces, where a valuable potential market exists. These negotiations, so far, have been very satisfactory. I have been informed that the American Government has notified the New Zealand Government that it would not permit the importation of fruit from any country where the Mediterranean fly is known to exist, as it does in parts of Australia, so that New Zealand’s prospects of developing a large fruit trade with ■America are not so bright as they were a few weeks ago. It may be a hard thing to say, but we hope that New Zealand’s efforts will fail, after which she will be in a more amenable mood to consider our case.” “ Mr Lyons to-day received a deputation of the fruitgrowers, and he assured them that the Cabinet next week would re-consider the whole position, and would treat the. New Zealand embargo matter as very urgent.