CHEAPER FRUIT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 178, 27 January 1914, Page 5

CHEAPER FRUIT.

TON'GAN TRADE ADVOCATED. REMOVAL OF RESTRICTION'S. fly Telegraph—Press Association. ' Wellington. Last Night. The people of Tonga have a grievance against the New Zealand Goveniment, and, according to the. Premier of the Tongan Group (Mr. Tu Ivakana), the Islanders, feel sore at their treatment.

Mr. Tti Ivaknno told a Press representative to-day that fruit, ('specially oranges and tomatoes, would be much cheaper in New Zealand if Tonga wa3 treated in tlie same way as tlie Cook Islands. "I suppose," lie said, "that the fact that the Cook Mauds are a dependency of New Zealand accounts for the Raralongan oranges being sent here in fairly large quantities. Now, in Tonga, and especially at Vavau, we grow the finest oranges in the South Peas, but you never have them in New Zealand. There are regulations which say that before wo can send oranges into your Dominion the shippers must sign a certificate that they have been grown one mile from a lly-infested orchard. Tint is no use to us. Oranges grow wild on our islands. It is true (hat the fly is in some of them, but we are willing to exercise the greatest care, before we pack them, and to have inspection in Auckland or Wellington, provided we can open up trade, with you in oranges. With oranges we could send you our best fruit, and Hi in cheapen your prices. Tomatoes we could supply you With for nine months of the year, bill we aro all the time up against your regulations. At the same time, we, on our side, could enforce restrictions, and we are willing to allow the most severe inspection on arrival, and I consider that (he Dominion would lie greatly ■benefited by having this extra supply of good fruit"on its markets." These matters were brought under the notice of the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. V. llas.se>-) to-day by Mr. Tu fvakano, who paid Mr. Masscy an onVial visit. The Prime Minister's reply was to the effect that representations made liv the Tongan authorities to the New Zealand Government would receive, serious consideration, as he thought that it would be a good idea if fruit could be cheapened for the New Zealand people.