AN AUSTRALIAN EMBARGO.

Wairarapa Age, 3 February 1927, Page 7

AN AUSTRALIAN EMBARGO.

ON N.Z. POTATOES. (ACTING PRIME-MINISTER *S PROTEST. I WELLINGTON, February 2. i Potato growers and merchants will be perturbed by the announcement that the Commonwealth Government has decided to reimpose an embargo against New Zealand potatoes as from February 15. The presence of powdery scab is stated to be the reason. The matter has been taken up by the Government at the instance of the Hon. O. J. Hawkcn (Minister of Agriculture), and the following cable has been despatched by the Hon. W. D. Stewart (Acting Prime Minister) to the Australian Premier: “The Commonwealth Health Department has informed the Dominion Agricultural Department that owing to powdery scab disease in New Zealand, the permission to import potatoes for food purposes from the Dominion to Australia will be withdrawn as from February 15. The effect of this is practically to reinstate*an embargo against the importation of New Zealand potatoes into Australia. My Government feels sure the Common-

wealth Government recognises as a general principle that in the interests of trade between Australia and New Zealand, it is most undesirable that such embargo should apply unless for undisputably cogent reasons. In this case

we are confident that the existence here of the disease in question does, not constitute such a reason. Powdery scab affects only the skins of the tubers and does not adversely affect the quantity or quality of the yield. It is not regarded elsewhere as a serious disease at all, and in countries where it exists general measures to eradicate it are not considered to be warranted. To meet Australian requirements, a thoroughly good system of inspection on farms and at ports has been instituted here at great expense, and during the last two seasons, far as wo know, the disease was found in onlv one

shipment, and we are confident no repetition of even this isolated occurrence is in the least probable. The export of potatoes to Australia is of great importance to New Zealand growers and merchants, owing to its effect on the local market. For this reason, and also on general grounds, my Government deeply regrets the proposed Teinstitution of the embargo and earn-

estly requests that the matter receive ‘further consideration before, the present decision takes effect.”—(P.A.).