CITRUS FRUITS

Southland Times, Issue 22067, 14 July 1933, Page 8

CITRUS FRUITS

PLEA FOR RETENTION OF EMBARGO. ASSOCIATIONS’ PROTEST. (Per United Press Association.) Tauranga, July 13. In connection with the agitation in various parts of the Dominion to have the embargo against the importation of Australian citrus fruits removed, the Tauranga Citrus Association has despatched telegrams to the GovernorGeneral, the Acting Prime Minister and the Minister of Agriculture, refuting the statements made by Dr. Thacker in a message to the Governor to the effect that in the event of an influenza epidemic, conditions would be disastrous. The association stated that it has 5000 cases of lemons in store which would be available immediately, and further tremendous crops are ready to pick. It was further stated that the industry would be threatened with extinction should the Mediterranean fruit fly get in, and urged the Government to maintain the prohibition against the import of fruit from infected countries. LOCAL PROTEST REMOVAL OF EMBARGO URGED. A -deputation from busmess men interested in the fruit trade was received at the meeting of the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce yesterday. Mr F. Bray, acting as spokesman, said they were concerned about the embargo on the importation of citrus fruits from Australia. He outlined the history of the embargo and said that a deputation to the Government had learned that it was hoped to export New Zealand apples to America, but the Americans objected to importing the apples if there was any possibility of the Mediterranean fruit fly being transferred from Australia to America through New Zealand. The fly had never been in South Australia and he contended that there was no possibility of disease coming in, particularly from South Australia. The North Island could get Island oranges, but they did not keep well enough for the South Island. The fruit-growers argued that the admission of Australian oranges ■would affect the sale of apples, but that was a debatable point and in any case oranges had a special value for children and invalids. The deputation wanted the embargo removed from South Australian oranges even if the importations were restricted. Mr F. Bowden said that 80 cases of oranges a month were all that Southland could get in spite of the fact that 300 cases a week had been used last year. A large percentage were bad when they arrived in New Zealand and then they had to be kept for a month. There were Californian oranges on the market, but very few people could afford to buy them. The trouble was that the fruit-growers had “got hold of the Government” and the embargo had been put on to enable them to sell their apples to America. Mr C. B. Tapley: What was the outcome of the deputation to Mr Coates? Mr Bowden: He said he would consider it and he is still considering it. Mr Lincoln also spoke and said that the result of the embargo simply meant that the public had to pay a higher price for poorer fruit than had been the case a year ago. For a long time there had been a slogan, “Trade within the Empire,” but the fruit dealers were being forced to trade with America and American goods were carried on American ships with the result that New Zealand shipping interests suffered.

Mr A. M. Macdonald said the deputation had made a very strong case and he moved that the Government should be urged to remove the embargo on fruit from South Australia. Another member suggested that the motion should be framed asking the Government to give the reason why the embargo was being kept on the South Australian citrus fruits. Mr Macdonald said he would be agreeable to that being done. Mr J. S. Brass said that if they simply urged the removal of the embargo they would get the reasons. He seconded Mr Macdonald’s motion and it was carried.