FIJIAN BANANA DEAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23092, 18 July 1938, Page 8

FIJIAN BANANA DEAL

An account of the New Zealand Government's dealings with Fiji in arranging the purchase of bananas, as published this morning, makes unpleasant reading. If the facts are substantially as stated by Mr. W. G. Johnson, a member of the Fiji Banana Association, the Government has used a high hand in negotiating the purchase. According to Mr. Johnson, the negotiations ended by the Government's officers naming a prico which allowed the Fijian planters no profit and might cause them to incur losses. The Dominion's aim was stated to be to pass on the benefits of the low price to New Zealand consumers, but Mr. Johnson questions whether they have had the benefit. In any case New Zealanders would not wish to enjoy cheap Fijian bananas or Karotongan oranges at the expense of these Island peoples. Yefc in the present case the Government is said to have exploited its power as the only buyer to dictate an unpayable price. These tactics were employed against a British colony and one which has recently given evidence of its desire to place as much of its business with New Zealand as possible. Suppose these dictatorial tactics were used against the Dominion; suppose that Britain, as the only considerable buyer of New Zealand butter, named the price at so much a box—a price that did not cover all costs —how should the producers feel about it? Yet that is how New Zealand is reported to have acted to Fiji, a colony administered by and under the protection of the British Government. It is to be hoped that the Government will be able to give some satisfactory explanation, or, if not, that it will take steps to ensure that more equal terms are made with Fiji in future. New Zealand is too small to go armed with a big stick in trade, and also, surely, too fair-minded.