Fijian Bananas
p. 58 · Read in the full issue
Australia Can Make “No Further Concessions”
THE Federal Government has abandoned a proposal which was under consideration in March to grant further concessions on the importation of bananas from Fiji. Under the Ottawa agreement the duty on Fijian bananas was reduced to 2/6 a cental, and this rate has been in operation for some time. Early this year, in response to representation from the Fijian Government, the Federal Minis try agreed to consider further conces sions. It has now been decided that the present duty will be retained.
The next move is up to Fiji—and, prob ably, it will not be long in coming, in the shape of a tariff which will knock corners off Australian goods customarily sold to Fiji.
This latest decision regarding Fiji bananas is made by the Australian politi cians who have one eye on the coming election, and the other on the Australian banana-growers.
Australia howls continually for “over sea markets”; but she never will get worth-while markets while professional politicians are allowed to exercise the functions of national economists.