State To Control Fruit Imports?

Northern Advocate, 11 February 1938, Page 3

State To Control Fruit Imports?

[Special To ” Northern Advocate ”J | AUCKLAND, This Day. j If the Government's proposals are j carried cut. the importation of all fruit into the Dominion will be Statecontrolled as from April 1. The Government will use its discretion in distributing fruit among the various wholesale firms in the Dominion. This information has been authoritatively stated. It is also declared that the Government does not intend compensating- importing firms, either for loss of business or for money invested in the organising of the trade they have built up and the financing of growers and other suppliers. Already the Government has taken over the importation of Cook Island oranges and Samoan bananas. Finns Will Suffer. Some firms in Auckland state they will lose 50 per cent, of their business from the financial aspect. Merchants in the city have been whole-hearted in their expression of opinion that the Government’s attitude will sound the death knell of initiative and pi’ogress. Trade with Jamaica in oranges, a recent example of private enterprise, .has been quoted by several of them as an instance of what can be done by private individuals.

They claim that they have built up the industry at tremendous expense, and have often suffered heavy losses on early shipments. State to Reap Reward.

Some cf them pointed out that the Government intended stepping in to reap the reward of a long fight by ; private businesses to hold the markets they had created. » According to some importers,

the Government has not consulted

importers in the matter. It is be-

lieved the Government proposes arbitrarily to enforce its ideas of. control on the Islands as - well as

other countries. Increased costs had resulted from Government control in the past, it Is declared.