ONIONS FROM AMERICA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3672, 29 July 1924, Page 22

ONIONS FROM AMERICA.

EMBARGO ON IMPORTATIONS,

The following is the copy of a telegram sent to the Hon. W. Downie Stewart and Messrs 1. M Wilford and H. E. Holland, M.P. s, by Mr E. Oswald Reilly, president. South Island Fruit and Produce Brokers* Association : “The South Island Fruit and Produce Brokers are simply astounded at the statement appearing i n the local papers intimating that Mr Nosworthy has stated that the. importation of onions from America will bo prohibited. Some of these onions are now in transit to New Zealand and some in diving sheds in Northern ’ California further, foot-and-mouth disease is located in Southern California and Arizona. No animals of any description graze on the onion and the cultivation, forwarding to sheds, and marketing are all carried out by gasoline power and hand labour. Australian onions are unobtainable aftei September. America is ou r only source of supply, ai d '.<AV tons have been ordered for the South Hand's reouirenieiits and payments arranged. Merchants ask that such pa mo Orders in Council preventing the importation of onions into New Zealand be fully considerd by all members of Parliament, especially in face of the above facts, and the fact that linns in New Zealand have Kvn reviving from England, where foot-and-mouth disease has been over running the country for years, bulbeous and tuberous plants, packing material in (he shape of hay, straw, grass, mosses, etc., all passing Government graders. We can understand live stock of any description being prohibited from landing, anil we presume the Minister has an Ordcr-inCouncil to this effect. Therefore. on behalf of the consuming public, we respectfully ask full reconsideration of this important matter.”