POTATO EMBARGO

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21415, 6 March 1935, Page 6

POTATO EMBARGO

THE VICTORIAN BAN | TASMANIA* RETALIATION | i The Victorian ban on Tasmanian potatoes passing through the State to N:w South Wales is having a rather entertaining sequel. Alter investigating the details of the Victorian embargo on the importation of Ta.smanian potatoes and conferring with the Crown Solicitor on the legal aspects of the prohibition, the Aitoi-nev-General announced that he had suggested to the Director of Agriculture that Tasmania should be permitted to send potatoes through Vic- i loria to other slates or countries under J r gid safeguard o , says the "Melbourne Leader." This action was taken as the outcome of a bitter complaint made earlier in the week by the Tasmanian Premier that recently Victoria, acting under the proclamation prohibiting impoilaticn. had refused to allow 20 tons of Tasmanian potatoes intended for overseas to be transl erred from steamer to steamer in Melbourne. Mr Ogilvie (the Tasmanian Premier) urged the Tasmanian people to retaliate by refusing to buy Victorian goods, of which more than £4.500,000 worth annually is sent to that state. Recently Tasmanian merchants asked to be allowed to send potatoes through Victoria by train to New South Waies. but permission was refused. There is a High Court action in progress to test the validity of the Victorian prohibition. Mr Macfarlan i the Victorian Minister) said he had been assured that adequate safeguards could be taken to prevent any possibility of d:sease being disseminated in Victoria. There appeared to be a doubt whether the Victorian proclamation applied to potatoes passing through the state, it being contended that it was applicable only to potatoes that were intended for consumption in Victoria. That prohibition would still stand. It was later announced that Tasmanian potatoes would be allowed to pass through Victoria. The "Retaliation" It is believed that the Tasmanian Government, as retaliation against Victoria prohibiting Island potatoes, is considering the prohibition of the importation of flour into Tasmania. Officially the object would be the eradication of the pest known as the Mediterranean fly cr the California moth. Should there be retaliation on the part of the state, flour is the commodity likely to be attacked. In 1933-34 there were 7454 tons of flcur imported to Tasmania, the great bulk of which came from Victoria. To eradicate the pest it would be necessary to fumigate mills prior to the conversion of wheat into flour. Dominion May Import A Melbourne paper last week stated that news had been received that owing lo the shortage of potatoes in New Zealand as a result of a ■drought year, there is every probability of a demand being forthcoming for Tasmanian potatoes from the Dominion. This also relegates the embargo question to a subsidiary position for the time being.