DISCUSSION ON LEMONS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20222, 7 October 1927, Page 10

DISCUSSION ON LEMONS.

VIRTUES OF AUCKLAND FRUIT (From Oue Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON. October 6. Years and years ago there was a tariff put through the New Zealand Parliament whicli became known as tho Mutton Bird Tariff, mainly because mutton birds was the first item on the list. Mr Downie Stewart’s tariff of 1927 will go down :n history as the lemon tariff. On pag© L2 of the Bill there is an innocent-looking item—Lemons Id per lb, British nreferential tariff, 2d per lb general tariff. This apparently unimportant line kept tho House in committee busy for the greater part of the afternoon and for nearly the whole of the evening sitting up to the supper adjournment. It wr • Sir Joseph Ward who first mentioned the word “ lemons.” He was surprised that there had been so much fuss made about the increased duty. It should be stated that in the explanatory notes circulated by the department to-day there appears the following on the subject of lemons: Representations were made both in favour of and in opposition to an increase in the dutv imposed by the general tariff on lemonsThe imports of lemons come mainly from Australia, Italy, and tho United States of America. The importations in recent years have been approximately equal to the commercial production of lemons in the Auckland province. The New Zealand production is increasing and has practically doubled during the past five years. The supply of locally produced lemons can be increased appreciably. Improved organisation of the trade is already assisting in th© development and control of the supply, and in regard to grading, curing, and packing. The supply is also likely to increase as a result of the development of new orchards. Importations have chiefly been to Wellington and South Island ports, the Auckland demand being almost entirely met by local production. It is by no means proven that the New Zealand-grown lemons cannot reasonably meet the demands of the southern markets. In the matter of keeping quality better organisation of the trade should assist in regard tn. this difficulty. The proposed increase in the duty on foreign lemons will be of assistance to local growers in competition with relatively cheap supplies arriving, particularly from Italy. The increased duty of Id per lb represents approximately onefifth of a penny per lemon. The duty is, therefore, not high in relation to the selling value, which ranges generally between Is and 2s 6d per dozen. Hour after hour members talked of lemons, lemons in drinks, hot and cold, strong and weak. The virtues of Auckland lemons were disparaged by a South Island Labour member and praised by a North Island representative, who occupied his full 10 minutes in expounding the virtue of the fruit grown in the environs ot the Queen City of the north. Mr Downie Stewart simply sat back and smiled, quite content that the wave of criticism at its outset should break on such a small rock, and knowing full well that the time wasted on lemons would be saved on doors and sashes, or perhaps knees, bends, elbows, and other fittings of brass or other copper alloy for pipes. Mr F. F. Hockly, in the chair, was just on tho point of putting the short title through when a Wellington Labour member rose to continue the discussion on lemons. Eventually the subject was squeezed dry, but only after some members had got the “ pip,” and now, when anyone asks what is.the most important item in Mr Downie Stewart’s 1927 tariff, the answer is “ a lemon.”