CHEAP GRAPES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9064, 3 February 1908, Page 8

CHEAP GRAPES.

THE PREMIER IN THEIR DEFENCE. Per Press Association. Auckland, January 31. Sir Joseph Ward says that he has come to Auckland prepared to face angry grape growers, but the Government, in deciding to remove the restriction on Australian grapes, had considered the question from the view of the people. Those belonging to the middle classes could not afford to .pay is 3d per lb for grapes; it was simply making a luxury of what should be a very common article of diet. “One’s eympathie naturally go out to the grapegrowers,” said the Premier to a Press representative this morning, “but it is not desirable to have a fruit diet restricted to the use of a few who can afford to pay fancy juices ” “The Auckland vignerons claim that the Government first induced them to go in for viticulure, and now withdraws _ its support at the most critical period.” “That is nonsense,” replied the Premier. “As far as I know, the Government, in placing embargo on the Australian importations, did so solely with the view to preventing the ihtroduction of phylloxera. Now we have formulated a scheme by which wejhope to successfully keep out the‘ introduction of fruit from infected areas. If we find the regulations are disregarded we will take drastic steps and‘;prohibit the importation of grapes from any part of the Commonwealth where a breach of the rules regarding phylloxera in infected areas has been discovered. In the past there have been thousands of people who wanted grapes for diet purposes, and they have been unable to procure then Yon account of the prohibitive prices. By the removal of the restriction on Australian importations cheap grapes will now be within the reach of everybody. ’ ’