JAPANESE ONIONS

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 July 1939, Page 7

JAPANESE ONIONS

BOYCOTT BY WATERbIDERS?

[PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] DUNEDIN, July 17. "L In addition to the certainty that local Chinese fruiterers will boycott the shipment of Japanese onions expected to arrive in Dunedin within a fortnight, there is a rumour current here -a that the watersiders will refuse to handle the cargo on arrival at Auckland'. In reply to questions to-day, a local wholesaler said that the Chinese had * refused to touch the last consignment of Japanese onions two years ago, and were bound to adopt a similar attitude to this shipment. However, as 75 per cent, of the onions would be sold in ordinary grocers’ shops, he expected that Europeans would account for Dunedin’s share of the shipment.

GROCERS’ RESOLUTION

AUCKLAND, July IS.

“We pledge ourselves to endeavour to secure tlje support of all merchants, to refuse to handle Japanese onions.” was part of a resolution carried by the Auckland Master Grocers’ Association, at a largely-attended meeting, last night. Copies are being sent to 250 members of the Association in the Auckland district, also to produce merchants. The reason for the action, as stated in the resolution, is that “the Japanese are subjecting British people to indignities beyond those which any member of the British Empire should bo called upon to suffer.” It was recognised in the discussion that, in view of the stand already taken by the Chinese fruiterers, the major portion of the onion shipment would have to lie disposed ot through grocers’ shops, and that the stand taken by the grocers would be an effective barrier against the sale of a large quantity of onions.