CITRUS FRUITS

Southland Times, Issue 25343, 23 July 1935, Page 8

CITRUS FRUITS

AUSTRALIAN PRODUCT NEGOTIATIONS WITH NEW ZEALAND INCREASED TRADE SOUGHT (Per United Press Association.) Auckland, July 22. “I have been inquiring concerning the orange situation in order to pave the way for negotiations which are to take place between the Australian Minister for Commerce and the New Zealand Government, probably before the end of the year,” said Mr R. H. Nesbitt, Australian Trade Commissioner in New Zealand, on his arrival by the Aorangi. Fie was hopeful that the outcome of the negotiations would be a greater freedom of importation by New Zealand of Australian citrus fruits in return for Australia accepting a reasonable quantity of New Zealand potatoes. The trade figures for 1934 showed that New Zealand had purchased from Australia £3,200,000 worth of goods while Australia had bought only £1,600,000 worth from the Dominion. He had noted with pleasure that New Zealand exports of fish had nearly doubled in the last 12 months and that exports of softwood timbers had increased by 25 per cent, and were still increasing. Mr Nesbitt said he found the general opinion in Australia was that New Zealand should have favoured treatment. The personnel of the Commonwealth delegation to New Zealand was still uncertain. He remarked that Mr Lyons and Mr Forbes were both due to arrive in Auckland on August 9 and it was likely that the two Prime Ministers would have a preliminary discussion. There were many other subjects besides oranges and potatoes which needed discussion.