N.Z. IMPOSES BAN.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 638, 16 December 1932, Page 5

N.Z. IMPOSES BAN.

Australian Vegetables and Fruit Shut Out. MAY NOT ENTER DOMINION. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, December 16. No Australian fruit or vegetables maybe imported into New Zealand from to-day, as a result of an embargo which was announced last night by the lion \V. Downie Stewart. Fruit and vegetables exported from Australia to-day or now on the water will not come under the provisions of this Order-in-Council. The embargo is a retaliatory measure following the embargo which the Australian Government has placed on New Zealand fruit and fruit plants. “ For some considerable time past,” said Mr Stewart, “ correspondence had taken place between the Australian and New Zealand Governments with respect to the embargo on our fruit and fruit plants, which has for many years been maintained in the Commonwealth, on the ground that New Zealand fruit is affected by fireblight. It was pointed out to the Australian Government that, in the opinion of experts here fireblight was spread by means of trees and plants, and that the danger of introducing the disease into a country by means of fruit was extremely remote.

“ I have no desire to question the good faith or motives of the Australian Government in the matter. The effect, however, is that the New Zealand fruitgrower is definitely excluded from the Australian market. This, however, is not the whole position. New Zealand fruitgrowers have endeavoured to develop a market in the United States, with which country it is believed there is a possibility of considerable trade. The United States, however, maintain an embargo on New Zealand fruit, not because of the existence of fireblight in New Zealand, but because Australian fruit is affected by the Mediterranean fruit fly, and New Zealand allows the importation pi Australian fruit.