NEW ZEALAND POTATOES

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 237, 8 May 1933, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND POTATOES

Import Embargo NOTHING TO BE DONE FOR I TWO MONTHS Press Association —Copyright ; Canberra, May 6. Mr. J. A. Lyons, Prime Minister, declined to commit tire Commonwealth Government to any definite course of action with regard to the embargo against the importation of New Zealand potatoes when a largo deputation of potato growers waited on him to-day to protest against the reported intention to lift the embargo. Mr. Lyons assured the deputation that nothing could be clone for at least two months. He was for a trad'’ :>greem"at. and he hoped to convm Z ad - that the potato embargo "cs" ely a quarantine precaution. Mr. L uns added that the Commonwealth Government was aware there was a fueling of antagonism towards Australia over this embargo and what New Zealanders regarded as a general attitude of opposition to their interests. “We want to be able to prove to New Zealand that there is no justification for lifting the embargo,” he said. “We must produce facts in order to combat their retaliation.” Mr. F. Harris, a member of the deputation, said that he investigated potato growing in New Zealand on behalf of the Commonwealth six years ago and ascertained that with the exception of about 700 acres there was not one area in both islands free from the corky scab.