OBJECTION TO ISLAND FRUIT

Taranaki Daily News, 3 September 1929, Page 14

OBJECTION TO ISLAND FRUIT

DOMINION A FRUIT FLY AREA.

EFFECT ON SALES EVERYWHERE

By Telegraph.—Press Association.

Wellington, Sept. 2.

In reply to a protest by the Christchurch Fruit Retailers’ Association against the request for.increased duties on imported fruit by the fruitgrowers of Christchurch, the latter have sent a letter in reply to Mr. W. B. Taverner taking exception to the statements made.

They urge that outside fruit is being dumped into New Zealand to the detriment of growers and with the effect of lessening quality. They object to cheap Island labour reducing the standard of living and point out, amongst other things, what they regard as a most important matter, that if the law were rigidly enforced no Island fruit would be allowed to enter New Zealand on account of the fruit fly. A question of supreme importance is that the moment Rarotonga is brought under New Zealand control New Zealand will be gazetted as a fruit fly area. This will affect the Dominion’s fruit sales all over the world.