CORRESPONDENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2646, 30 October 1909, Page 7

CORRESPONDENCE.

[Correspondence on public matters is welcomed at all times, but it must Indistinctly understood that this journal is in no wav associated with the opin ions of its correspondents. All letters must be legibly written and inscribed on one side of tire paper only, otherwise they will not bo published. *An asterisk at the foot of a letter indicates that some portion has been excised.] FIJI FRUIT. (To the Editor.) Sir, —In your paper of this morning's issue thefe is a local which, after giving a short account of a boycott of Fiji fruit shipped to Melbourne, states in conclusion: “Fiji fruit is Chinese owned and Chinese grown.” For the benefit of those who detest the Yellow Peril I would like to state that I do not think there is any truth m the statement unless the Chinese have managed. to capture the fruit trade within The lasi eighteen months, which I very much doubt. It is not two years ago" since I paid a visit to the Fiji group, and during my stay there I made the acquaintance of a number or fruit growers (none of whom would feel fiattered if called a Chinaman) and to the best of my knowledge there are not more than two or three Chinese fruit growers in -Fiji. The most of the fruit is grown by Coolie labor on Europeanowned plantations ; it is true that there are a few Chinese who take their barges up the rivers and creeks and buy the fruit (mostly bananas) from the Europeans on the plantations, after 'which the Chinese ship the fruit to Australia and New Zealand. It is only the small planters who sell their fruit on the plantation, the biggoy. growers shipping on their own account, and the trade cannot be called’ Chinese owned any more than New Zealand, vegetables are prison grown. Trusting I have not trespassed too much oh your valuable fi nace—I am, vours etc., ' HERBERT INGRAM. October, 26th, 1909.