FRUIT EMBARGO

Taranaki Daily News, 20 December 1932, Page 5

FRUIT EMBARGO

NEW NEGOTIATIONS BEGUN FEDERAL MINISTERS ACTIVE s. % FIREBLIGHT PRECAUTIONS EXPLANATION TO DOMINION NEW SOUTH WALES ALARM By .Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Rec. 8.10 p.m. * Sydney, Dec. 19. Representatives of exporters and shipping companies interviewed the Federal Minister of Commerce to-day in regard to the New Zealand embargo on Australian fruit and vegetables. The Minister later stated that fresh negotiations had begun with'New Zealand with the object of impressing on the Dominion Government that whatever action was taken' against New Zealand produce was for reasons Of public health. Efforts were now being made, however, to straighten out the difficulty. The Minister would have a conference immediately with the Federal Minister of Health.

Mr. J. G. Latham, Attorney-General, points out that the Commonwealth has not placed an embargo on New Zealand fruit but has only taken the precaution owing to the prevalence of fireblight in the Dominion, to prevent its admission to Australia, which takes a serious view of. New Zealand’s action. The embargo is expected to react seriously against, the irrigation areas of New South ‘.Vales, which have worked up a large trade in New Zealand for citrus fruits. In an average year the Griffith Producers’ Company alone exported upwards of 60,000 bushels of oranges to New Zealand. There is no disposition on the part of the Griffith company to blame New Zealand for its retaliatory action as the local growers have persistently agitated against embargoes, on the importation of fruit to Australia, pointing out’ that the inevitable retaliation would wreck Australia’s growing expert trade in fruits. The Sydney.-Telegraph’s Melbourne correspondent says strong representations have been .made by the Commonwealth Government to the New Zealand Government.