PROTECTION FOR ISLAND FRUIT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 39, 15 February 1905, Page 3

PROTECTION FOR ISLAND FRUIT.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) RARATONGA, January 14. At a meeting of fruitgrowers and shippers beld at the Courthouse on the 29 th December, Colonel Gudgeon read a letter which he had received from HonC. H. Mills, Minister of Customs, in which it was stated that as the Customs tariff did not come up for revision last session nothing had been done in the direction of protecting fruit from the_ Cook Islands as against that from the Society Islands and Fjii. Mr Mills remarked that the Government -would require some assurance of a very much larger output than the Cook Islands were producing at present, and wished to know if a protective duty were imposed on outside fruit, could a guarantee be given that the Cook Islands would within a reasonable time produce sufficient fruit to meet the demands of New Zealand, jjt to so supply its needs that the .protective duty would not prove a hardship to tiie purchaser. Colonel Gudgeon said that lie had called those'present together in order that they' might hear the letter of the Minister. He was glad that the New Zealand Government were about to recognise that something should be done in favour of the Cook Islands to foster their chief industtry. In his opinion tne output of the present year could be doubled iD twelve months so far as bananas were concerned. As regarded oranges, owing to the had prices obtained in New Zealand, and also owing to want of proper shipping facilities from the outside islands, hundreds of thousands of oranges were allowed to go to waste every year. He reminded those present that if they had the whole of the New Zealand market it would mean a fortnightly alternate steamer service with Auckland and Wellington. He advised the formation of a committee for the purpose of preparing a report and gathering information on the matter, which he would, undertake to send to the Minister. After some discussion, in which ths speakers favoured a protective duty, Mfesrs. J. W. Sharpo. Percy B»-own. T. Shearman and Makea Daniela were appointed a committee to draw up a report, Within the last sis months a largo amount of banana planting has taken place both on native and European land. It is estimated that at the present time there are over 120,000 banana trees (equal to 50.000 boxes per annum) growing in Rarotonga, of which nearly 20,000 trees are on five plantations owned by Europeans. Each succeeding month will show a further increase, and it may safely be said that for say the next five years the number planted could be increased by at least 50 per cent, per annum. The increase which has lately taken place is due to the fact for the last twelve months growers have obtained a slightly better price in the New Zealand market. If, therefore, owing to a protective duty being imposed on outside fruit our growers could be certain of finding a large demand in New Zealand for their product, it can confidently ba j averred that the increased planting will be entered upon without delay, and a regular and full supply of bananas for New Zealand would be ensured. The Collector of Customs reports that for the year 1904 the export of bananaa from Rarotonga to New Zealand was 30,294 cases, and 9 .273 bunches, showing an increase of about 50 per cent, over the figures for 1903. 1905 Erett'3 Auckland Aliaanac now on sale all stationers and at "Star" I Office.