POTATO GROWERS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIV, Issue 90, 24 March 1924, Page 3

POTATO GROWERS.

AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION. MINISTER’S REPLY TO COMPLAINTS. Wellington, March 21. The Minister of Agriculture stated to-day: “I have noted a report of a meeting of potato growers held in Christchurch and can say at once that the allegations that the Primo Minister anj myself have not done opr best in the interests of the potato growers and other producers are absolutely and entirely unwarranted. By way of contrast. one of the criticisms lately levelled against the Government is that it is a farmers’ Government that the farmers’ interests are always placed first by if. Th© real fact of the matter is that the Government endeavours to act on lines calculated to further the best interests of the Dominion, with due regard to the legitimate claims of various sections of th© community. As regards what it has don© for th© producers of the Dominion, I am quite content to leave th© judgment in their hands. I “Now, as to the potato question. I hav© been pressed by some growers to impose an absolute embargo upon the importation of Australian potatoes, ; but what would that mean ? It could only moan one of two things—viz., an arbitrary shutting out of Australian potatoes, obviously aimed at entirely ’ eliminating any competition with our i own growers, notwithstanding the ’ measure of tariff protection already existing, or els e an open retaliation pleasure against Australia for prohibiting th© importation of New Zealand , potatoes, but on this last ppint Australia bases her action on the existence of disease in New Zealand potatoes, whereas very careful examinations which hav© been made of Australian potatoes here and enquiries made in Australia have hitherto failed to elicit any evidence of disease, in Australian potatoes of a nature which would warrant th© prohibition of import. The Government has made strong and repeated efforts to get the Australian restrictions removed or, at least, modified, but without success, in spite of th© fact that th© disease in question (known as “powdery scab”) is not a serious on© and is not widespread in the Dominion. Th© action of Australia in this matter docs constitute a very serious grievance with growers, for which there is undoubted justification. I do not blam© the potato growers for asking that w© shut out their potatoes altogether. But the Government has to take a broad view of the question. “It must be remembered that in one way and another Australia takes a good deal of our primary produce. To give two or three instances, within the last year or so our languishing export beef market was relieved by the exportation of a large number of fat cattle to Mel- ' bourne. Butter has been shipped across and practically the whole of our surplus hams and bacon have found a good market there. It must be remembered that when it comes to retaliation it can )>e made to cut both | ways. Th© only proper course to adopt 1 is to act on sound lines compatible > with the maintenance of good relations I with the neighbouring country, with i which we hav© in operation a reciprocal tariff treaty. To now impos© an absolute embargo upon Australian potatoes would be unsound and we do not in- ! tend to do it. “The Christchurch meeting resolved that Uli© present duty of £1 per ton | should be increased to £3 per ton. Whether this can be don© must lx? left j to Parliament to decide. 1 will be; quite prepared to place the position | before Parliament. It is true that a j special duty can lie imposed under conditions of special emergency, but even '• if that were intended to be done our ' tariff agreement with Australia would necessitate the giving of six months’ ■ notice beforehand. 1 have been making inquiries into the position and so far as I can gather the lowest price at which Australian potatoes are being landed is equivalent to a vain© of about £6 5s per ton f.o.b. Lyttelton for New Zea- ! land potatoes. This Australian price i is for prompt shipments. Only appar-

ently forward shipments are quoted at a higher rate. Other shipments have cost more. Th© latest quotation I have been able to hear of indicates an increased price for prompt shipment. Very little business is being done between Wellington and Australia. It seems probable that the New Zealand crop will shortly have the whole Dominion market practically to itself. This is what it looks like. So far as the Australian prohibition of New Zealand potatoes is concerned another attempt is being made to get it removed or modified. A responsible officer in the Department, who is leaving next week for Australia, will go fully into the whole question with the authorities there. I sincerelv luqx) that this effort will be successful.”