FRUIT-GROWING IN WAIKATO.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3163, 1 October 1892, Page 2

FRUIT-GROWING IN WAIKATO.

PETITION- TO Tltli (.iOVKHXHKNT. The following petition, a f ter being approved by a number of Waikato fruitgrowers, was. a short time ago, sent t> the Government, an answer being received t> the elfect that there was very little probability of the Customs duties being touched during the juvsent rpssioh :— Te Awanint i, Waikato. To the Premier, Wellington.— Dear Sir,—l am requested, by a large number of fruit grown-.: throughout Wailμto to draw your attention to the grevious injustice which they suffer through the constant and heavy importation of fruit into the colony from tho islands of tho Smith Pacific. This fruit is gr >wn by naked is'anders at little or no cost, and being landed liimv in vast, quantities, entirely free, of duty, has caused fruit-growing here to become niiprofitible, and threatens to extinguish an industry eminently suit 'd forsm.-ill .s.-ifli-r.s. We bog respectfully to point out that while the inhabitants of our large towns, wh-i imreha-e these island fruits, have all their trades and handicrafts protected by heavy Customs duties, so that all the eor,:itrv settlers ivquire from them has t> b.- paid tor at enhanced values, they purchase their fruit supplies free of any such iui;j,,rt duty. Thus our occupation a< fruit-growers ha-; become an unprofitable one, and a serious check has been placed up.'ii t'ie settlement of the lands of the country by inilustriins working men, who, purfwc , , remain in the towns and help to swell still nioiv the ovit-conge-ted popr.l -tions of i ur large centres. We, therefore, respectfully pray that your (Jovormn-nt will, dnrin- tli.) ra-in..- s-s.

sion of Parliament, impose a su, ill pr-t',-.-tive duty upon all isla'i'l fruit--, and thus give t> our struggling settlers, who bve by fruit-growing, much needed help. —I beg to -nbscribe myself, on behalf of Waikato fruit-growers, yours, most o!>"iiivut'y, Wμ. Johns.