ISLAND FRUIT BY RAIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18189, 7 September 1922, Page 8

ISLAND FRUIT BY RAIL.

CONCESSIONS IMPOSSIBLE.

THE DEPARTMENT'S POLICY.

OAPH.—SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday.

The suggestion that Cook Island fruit should be carried on the railways at local rates was made in the House to-day by Sir John Luk© (Wellington North), who urged that as the Cook islands were part of New Zealand the growers of that group should bo placed on the sama looting as New Zealand growers. The Hon. D. H. Guthrie, Minister for Railways, said island fruit was charged the same rate as all imported fruit, and it was impossible to give railway freight concessions to fruit irom any particular country. Island fruit had a slight advantage in that a special rate was granted for Targe quantities railed from Auckland *o Wellington. The department had gone into this matter on many occasions, but could not see any way out of t'he difficulty. If any protection, was to be given to island fruit it should be done through the customs and not by way of railway freight The low rate for New Zealand fruit did not pay the cost of transportation but it was instituted as a matter of policy for encouraging the fruit industry within the Dominion. At no period had it been contemplated carrving tropical fruits on the railways at New Zealand rates-