EMBARGO ON FRUIT

Northern Advocate, 17 December 1932, Page 10

EMBARGO ON FRUIT

BAX TOO DRASTIC!,

(Per Press Association. —Conyriftht.)

WELLINGTON, This Day.

“ Personally I think the Government has gone too far,” said a prominent importer when invited to discuss the effects of the embargo on Australian fruit. “It seems that the embargo ■will cause a famine in citrus fruits,

which cannot possibly come from any country but America.”

If the embargo continues, lie would be a brave man who would continue importing from America. A ship was ;jnst about to leave there lor New Zealand and it was highly improbable that shipments by that vessel could be arranged for in time. Apart from transport costs, there was the high cost of conversion. Naturally, any American fruit had to be sold at a high price, and consequently it had a limited market. ‘‘lt seems to me that the Government has been paying too much attention to the talk of some small growers,” said the importer. “It has to bo remembered that the factories have been importing pulp, and will continue to import it, to the detriment of raspberries and similar fruit. Pulp will still be admitted, so the embargo will not benefit the small grower. That point is important. “Supposing we have an outbreak of influenza, or some epidemic, where are our citrus fruits to come from?”

GREAT BLOW TO AUSTRALIA,

A DELICATE SITUATION

(Received II a.m.) SYDNEY", This Day

The Canberra correspondent of the "Sydney Morning Herald" says tuat the action of the Now Zealand Government in imposing a prohibition on the importation of fresh fruit and vegetables from Australia is likely to cause serious concern to the Commonwealth. The opinion in official circles is that the action was taken in an endeavour to obtain a removal of the Australian prohibition of fruit from New Zealand, It is understood that the New Zealand Government has been discussing the matter with the Commonwealth Government, for several months, and made strong representations for the lifting of the embargo, even hinting it is believed, at retaliatory action. Federal officers emphasise that Australia was most willing to meet New Zealand’s requests if it were possible to do. The Director-General of Health and Quarantine, Dr. J. 11. Compston, stated that the New Zealand authorities had shown themselves lu be under the impression that the embargo was being made perpetual for economic reasons, but the prohibition was imposed and was continued solely with the object of preventing hreblight. The Canberra correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" says that strongrepresentations rvill be made to New Zealand for the removal of the embargo. The Commonwealth cannot afford to lose the £200,000 of trade annually which is involved, and it is stbted officially that if New Zealand remains adamant, the Federal Cabinet will have to coriffider whether other action is open to it to regain the position.

'll. is admitted that the sHp taken by the Dominion has created a delicate situation, and one which might easily lead to -moves and countermoves of: a kind the very reverse of those contemplated by the Ottawa

agreements

Consternation was expressed l.y representatives of the citrus growers at .Melbourne at the embargo. The secretary of the Federal Citrus Council, Air Parkcs, said that the embargo came ae a great blow to the citrus industry, as New Zealand provided practically the only profitable outlet for Australia’s surplus citrus fruit.

The Zcalandia and ATarama took record shipments of fruit today in order to avoid the New Zealand embargo.