The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1932. FRUIT EMBARGO.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 December 1932, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1932. FRUIT EMBARGO.

Tub embargo placed on the importation of Australian fruit and vegetables into New Zealand lias been explained by the Hon. D. Stewart who stated last week that for some time considerable time past, correspondence has taken place between Australian and New Zealand! Governments with respect to the embargo on our fruit and fruit plants, which has for many years been maintained in tne Commonwealth on the ground that New Zealand fruit is affected by fireblight. It has been pointed out to the Australian Government that in the opinion of experts here fireblight is spread by means of trees and plants and that the danger of introducing the disease into a country by means of fruit is extremely remote. As regards its appearance in Neav Zealand is no reason to believe that it wa>s introduced through tile medium of fruit but that on the contrary all the available evidence .pointed to the probability of illegally introduced plants being responsible. The Australian Government, acting no doubt in what they considered to be the best interests of their fruit industry, could not see- its way to adopt tire views of the New Zealand Government and was unable to remove .the embargo. The effect of this decision is that the New Zealand fruitgrower is definitely excluded 1 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 Slates, however, maintain an embargo on New Zealand fruit, not because of the existence oif fireblight in New Zealand, but because Australian fruit is affectdft by Mediterranean fruit fly and Ne.v Zealand allows the importation of Australian fruit. The result of th 6 Commonwealth embargo therefore is that New Zealand is losing two mfiAkells, the Australian market because of the existence of fireblight here and the United Stages market because this country allows the importation of Australian fruit. This is a very serious position from the point of view of'-New Zealand, especially during the present economic and financial crisis when the necessity for obtaining eirnry available market for onr products is paramount. The Government has, therefore, reluctantly decided that there iis no option hut to unnose an embargo, on Australian fruit and vegetables. It must be understood that this embargo has not been imno.sed to prefect local fruitgrowers from Australian competition. It is not part of the policy of the Government that protection to an v industry, primary or secondary, should he granted by means of embargoes, complete or partial. It is considered that such matters should be dealt with by means of a tariff affording an opportunity for ircrt'ionolb’je competition. If the Australian Government can see its way at anv time to remove U’e embargo on New Zealand fruit and fruit plants, the Government of this Dominion will be glad to consider the removal of the embargo now imposed on Australian products.”