NORFOLK ISLAND

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 153, 16 July 1937, Page 10

NORFOLK ISLAND

-Own Correspondont.)

Efiects oi Embargo

NO MARKET IN DOMINION

(By Telegraph—

AUCKLAND, Last Night. The lifting of the embargo on the import of fruit dnd vegetables from Australia, and the establishment of a regular shipping service, would make Norfolk Island tho "winter garden" of New Zealand, in the opinion of Mr. H. Norris Hiskens, who has returned to Auckland after spending 10 years on the island. The absence of frosts made the climate ideal for the growing^ of vegetables, and Mr. IDskcns said ycsterday that it would bo possiblo to ship new potatoes and other produce from the island in tho New Zealand winter. However, tli&s can not be done at present, as Norfolk Island is adminiatered by tho Australian Government, and thcrefore cornes under the embargo*. Another effect . of this trade restriction is that the crops of oranges havo been going to wasto as there liave been no ships to take theni to New Zealand, wh-ich Is considere'i to be the island 's natural market. Two o£ tho most ilourishing iuihistries on the island at present, aecording to Mr. Hiskens, aro dairying and tho production of passion fruit and guava pulp. Passion fruit grows abtindantly, aud in the past it has bccn allowed to go to waste, but a pulping fartorv has bcon. established, and last ^ear tho rcsidonts nuide good mouoj

supplying fru^t at 1M per lb. Since then thousands of vines have been plantcd,, and banana plantations, which were abandoned when the market became unproiitable, have been changed over to passion fruit. Guavas wero also allowed to go to waste until tlie establishmeDt of ihe pulping factory, but last season tho fruit was sold "at ld per lb., and pickors earned as much as 2/6 an hour. There are two crops a year aud stoek will not touch the fruit. The dairy industry, which was established principally by New Zealanders living on the island, was in a ilourishing condition, but Mr. Hiskens expre'sscd the opinion that production could be greatly inereased by the u?o of more up-to-date methods.