INCREASED DUTIES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 7 August 1929, Page 2

INCREASED DUTIES

ON IMPORTED FRUIT

RETAILERS' OPPOSITION

(By Telegraph—Press Association)

WELLINGTON, This Day. An assurance Unit the interests of the. public from the point of view of keeping down the cost of living will be considered first and foremost wjis gjven by the Minister of Customs', the Hon. \V. B. Taverncr, to-day, to a deputation from the Christchurch Fruit lietailers' Association, which protested against the fruitgrowers' request for increased duties cm imported fruit. Mr E. Eldridge said they felt that as a result of increased duties the public would be called upon to pay more -for their fruit. In most cases fruit arrived in New Zealand at a time when local fruit was unprocurable or had been in cool storage for a considerable lime, and had thus deteriorated. American apples came into the. Dominion when local fruit was in cool store. Though they looked all right, within 48 hours they Became spotted and the average shopkeeper lost a third of his stock. Canadian apples were obtainable at that time, and though they were clearer than the local fruit they commanded a. ready sale. The most, burning question was perhaps that of grapes. American and Australian grapes came in from September to December, when (here were no local grapes available-, and to ask for sixpence duty, or an increase of fvyepence per pound, meant that the public would be. paying twi> shillings instead of Is 6d.

The. fact that the tomato industry ,va.. growing did not indicate that it had been damaged by importations from the Cook Islands.

The Hon. J. B. Donald, wlio mdeduced the deputation, said that lie oid not see the necessity for a Uighsr duty to protect local apple growers. end agreed with the representations ir.rcie,