THE TARIFF ON FRUIT. 



465 



A Corner in the Basement Where the Commercial Fruit Packages Were Shown. 



(Han grower would benefit as a result. 



Mr. Jos. Rush, of Humber Bay, claimed 

 that only the doctors benefit by the importa- 

 tion of this American " stufif." As long as 

 only good products are sent we can compete, 

 but our prices have to be in keeping with 

 the quality of our fruit, and the majority of 

 consumers take the cheaper goods from the 

 States. 



" If we have a surplus of fruit to send 

 out," said Mr. W. H. Bunting, of St. Catha- 

 rines, " we find a wall practically prohibi- 

 tive, and if we wish to buy implements we 

 are again at a serious disadvantage. Be- 

 sides, climatic conditions are against Cana- 

 dian producers. Our seasons are short and 

 the winters severe. A producer may suc- 

 ceed when hampered by one drawback, but 

 three are too many." 



Mr. Jos. Tweddle, of Fruitland, referred 

 to the loss annually owing to the difftculty 

 of getting labor. He claimed that the pro- 

 tection afiforded manufacturers made it pos- 

 sible for them to pay high wages and keep 

 the laborins: men awav from the farmers. 



!Mr. Caston, of Craighurst, claimed that 

 considerable money could be made out of 

 some varieties of apples by shipping them 

 to the northern states were it not for the 

 duty. 



While the discussion was going on it was 

 reported that local fruit dealers had been 

 before the tarifif commission, which was sit- 

 ting m Toronto, and had asked for a reduc- 

 tion in the duty on American fruits coming 

 into Canada because these importations did 

 not injure sales from Canadian producers 

 whose fruit was not ripe when the foreign 

 stock arrived. 



The fruit growers were unanimous in 

 adopting a resolution that the duty should 

 not be reduced, and a committee was ap- 

 pointed to lay the fact-s before the tariff 

 commission. This ended the discussion. 



THE CASE PRESENTED. 



On the Friday evening following this dis- 

 cussion the deputation from the association 

 laid its case before the commission. Mr. 

 Bunting, in introducing the deputation, 

 read the following resolution : " That we. 



