EXPORT OF POTATOES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3035, 15 May 1912, Page 20

EXPORT OF POTATOES.

POSITION EXPLAINED BY ME KIRK. , In Messrs Nimmo and Blair's offices on Wednesday, Bth inst., Mr T. W. Kirk, Government Biologist, met some representatives of the leading potato merchants in Dunedin to discuss the recent trouble in regard to the exportation of potatoes from New Zealand to AustraliaMr Kirk said that they all knew what the difficulties had been in regard to the export of their potatoes to the other side. The department had been doing all it could to obtain a relaxation of the conditions on the other side. The present regulation imposed by the Commonwealth was partly the result of the representations of the New Zealand Minister of Agriculture. Formerly New Zealand potatoes were absolutely prohibited from going into Australia; then they came down to a regulation that practically still made it au absolute prohibition, and now the existing regulations made matters very difficult. Mr Kirk then read out the regulations imposed by the Commonwealth authorities, which showed that the clause which caused all the difficulty was that stating that a certificate had to be issued to the effect that the potatoes were free of Irish blight and canker, that they were grown in the country from which they \vere being exported, that the premises on which they were grown were, to the best knowledge of the farmer, free from disease for the preceding 12 months, and that the potatoes were packed in the country of origin in clean, new sacks. It was almost impossible, continued Mr Kirk, that any inspector could certify that any farm had not had disease unon it for 12 months. The regulation said " after due investigation," and therefore they considered that if they took a sworn declaration from the farmer that to the beet of his knowledge no disease was known to have existed on the farm for 12 months, and one from the shipper testifying that the potatoes ho was shipping were the ones referred to in the statement made by the farmer, then that would make a complete chain from the fanner to the 6hip, and would satisfy the conditions. One difficulty that had cropped up was that, according to a statement made, a line of potatoes had been sent over certified to and had been admitted, but the next line was objected to. The difficulty was that grain graders at thaot time were not responsible Government officials, and those lines had been certified to by a grain grader. In answer to a question as to what would happen if potatoes shipped with a clean certificate were to develop blight on the way over, Mr Kirk said they would certainly not be admitted. Continuing, hesaid that they had done all they could to get the existing regulations removed, but

without success. The Commonwealth people must not be judged too harshly. Mr Moss (of Messrs Shiel and Co.) stated that he had tried to get three or four different farmers to sign the blightclean declaration, but all had refused. If that were the case agents ware blocked. Mr Kirk said, that surely the farmer would sign to the best of his knowledge and belief. If he did not, presumably there was disease on his farm.

One of the agents stated that any of them who had bought potatoes a little while ago were not being assisted by the farmer in getting delivery. In coses where, for more reasons than one, the farmer could not be got to sign the statement, they would like some relief in the direction of the inspector using his own discretion.

Mr Kirk replied that the regulations must be adhered to, and that it was vital to the interests of New Zealand that their certificates should be reliable. If they were to become valueless, then they would find the restrictions against them on the other side made much more severe. Mr Moss asked whether it was to be the case that shippers were to be blocked from shipping simply because farmers -would not give-them a certificate. Farmers knew- that the market had gone up, and were hoping that contracts would be cried off and that they would be able to resell their potatoes. Mr Kirk : The regulations can not be got over. I have done my best for you. Continuing, he said that pressure should be brought to bear on the authorities by the people in Australia. 'He would try again in a few days* time to bring about an improvement, but he could do nothing more just now.: . During the course of some discussion that followed, Mr Kirk explained th»t it was incorrect to say that he had cabled to the other side telling them not to accept New Zealand graders' certificates. The position was that when a line certified to by a grain grader was denied admittance the Commonwealth authorities cabled him in regard to the matter, and asked him whether there was not an inspector at Dunedin. as they had received an ordinary typewritten certificate, signed by a grain "grader. In answer to that he replied stating that a grain grader was not an inspector under the act, and that an'inspector wa 6 always present in Dunedin.

The meeting closed with an expression of thanks to .Mr Kirk.