Fiji And Australian
p. 74 · Read in the full issue
Bananas
Letter to the Editor YOU appear to have a certain hos tility to the Australian banana in dustry, as having instigated the closing of the Australian market to Fijian bananas.
Freely admitting your two 'main facts —(1) that compared to the Fijian fruit, the Australian product is a banana only by courtesy; and (2) that the practical prohibition of the entry of Fijian bananas into Australia, is unjust; may I say that other considerations are in volved.
Excluding the natives, who are in the long run independent of any European economy, the Fijian banana growers number a few score Europeans and others: but the Australian industry sup ports thousands of people, and has great value in promoting closer land settle ment of first importance to Australia and therefore to the whole South Pacific.
Prom this point of view, the overseas banana embargo, though unjust and un wise from the wheat-growing angle, is nevertheless necessary. Liberal admis sion of Fijian bananas would, of course, kill the Australian industry in quick time.
The Australian growing area is small and largely restricted to the NSW North Coast. There, because of the not over favourable climate, the business of dragooning Nature into producing some thing like a banana is a heart-breaking peasant grind. The Australian grower does not seek to compete in any overseas market (he couldn’t, anyway) but wants an “open go” in his own home market. This he should have, in the best interests of Australia, if not of the Australian stomach.
I am, etc.,
K. A. Saxby.
S. Murwillumbah, NSW.
The marriage took place recently of Mrs. Eve Campbell, widow of the late Allan Campbell of British Solomon Is lands and New Guinea, and daughter of the late Captain T. A. Darby and of Mrs. Darby, of “Fareham,” Waverley, to Mr. R. A. Robinson, of Rabaul, New Guinea. They are now living in Rabaul,