1.—12 c

1905. NEW ZEALAND.

AGRICULTURAL, PASTORAL, AND STOCK COMMITTEE: REPORTS OF, ON THE FRUIT TRADE OF THE COLONY; TOGETHER WITH THE MINUTES OF EVIDENCE. (Mr. LAWRY, Chairman.)

Brought up 18th July and 24th August, 1905

ORDER OP REFERENCE.

Extract from the Journals of the House of Representatives. Wednesday, the 28th Day of June, 1905. Ordered, " That Standing Order No. 218 be suspended, and that a Committee, cocsisting of fourteen members, be appointed to consider all matters pertaining to agricultural and pastoral industries, and stock, with power to confer and sit together with any eimilar Committee which may be appointed by the Legislative Council, and to agree to a joint or separate report; the Committee to have power to call for persons, papers, and reco'ds; three to be a quorum : the Committee to consist of Mr. Bollard, Mr. Buddo, Mr. Hogg, Mr. Kidd, Mr. Kirkbride, Mr. Lawry, Mr. Lathbriclge, Mr. T. Mackenzie, Mr. McLachlan, Mr. Rhodes, Mr. Rutherford, Hon. Sir W. J. Steward, Mr. Symes, and the mover."—(Hon. Mr. Duncan.)

EEPOETS.

I am directed by the Agricultural, Pastoral, and Stock Committee to ask leave to lay on the table of the House certain evidence given before that Committee by Messrs. Charles Bagley, and Josiah Daniel Webster, on the fruit trade of the colony, and to ask that the same may be printed. 18th July, 1905. Feank Lawry, Chairman.

I am directed by the Agricultural, Pastoral, and Stock Committee to ask leave to lay on the table of the House certain evidence given before the Committee by Messrs. William Johns, President of the Fruit-growers' Union, Auckland, and T. W. Kirk, Government Biologist, Wellington, on the fruit trade of the colony, and also to ask that the same may be printed. 24th August, 1905. Frank Lawey, Chairman.

MINUTES OF EVIDENCE.

Friday, 14th July, 1905. Charles Bagley examined. (No. 1.) 1. The Chairman.] What are you ?—Fruit-importer. 2. And you desire to give evidence before this Committee ? —Yes. 3. Do you wish to make a statement^ —-Yes. I wish to deal with three factors in connection with the fruit trade —first, in regard to the Chinese and aliens ; second, the local fruit industry ; and third, the Island fruit industry. Speaking on behalf of the European fruiterers, we would ask for some assistance in dealing with the fruit trade in New Zealand against the Chinese, which is becoming a troublesome factor ; they are becoming monopolizers of the trade, and more particularly in the City of Wellington they are practically monopolizing the whole of it. Since I have been here to give evidence on this question I have been round to the auction marts, and I must say it was a pitiable and deplorable sight I saw in Wellington. The auctioneers were selling fruit, and that had to be handled by these Chinese and retailed to the Europeans. I took the trouble to count them (the buyers)—there were thirty Chinese, three European gentlemen, and one European lady. Of course, lam only mentioning that by way of showing the extent to which the monopolizing of a European country by the Chinese is going on. Then look at the conditions under which these Chinese are living, their sanitary conditions, and more especially their homes. lam informed that four or six live together in a little shop, not as Europeans, but for the purpose of making money. If you look at the shops from an external point of view, they are all that could be desired, but if you look at the interior you will find a very different state of affairs, and which could possibly be best illustrated by the fable of the spider and the fly. I have no doubt that the Health Department is doing all that they possibly can do under the present conditions, but I would say this, that with all the Department can do, they cannot deal with these Chinese. If they go into their shops or premises Jihey who is the occupier or the assistants, they have some I—l. 12c.