FEBRUARY 11,1932

2

forts

Speaking during the debate in Parliament on Feb. 12th, on a re- wmiop passed with regard to the British potato embario. M11 -7- H- Myers, one of our representatives 10,- Quecns County, said:

hm rising, Mr. Speaker, to second the ygsollltlfln now before the house 1 {gel that I cannot add much to what has already been said by the mover of the resolution (Mr. Smith, Victoria-Carleton). I might how- ier, ggplilln to a. certain extent the condition in which the farmers of Prince Edward Island and New grunswick find themselves.

"Prior to the last eight or nine yrsrs we did not have a very great pomp problem in Prince Edward Island because until then we were known as mixed farmers and no- body had specialized in the growing 015ml potatoes. Since the year 191i, however, we have profited. from the services of a gentleman m; was sent from. the Dgpflrtmfllb of Agmiculturo at Ottawa. Mr. Murphy _- not a bad name-came to our part of the country as an expert on potatoes [lid proceeded to ducate the farin- m oi Prince Edward Island in res- pect to the growing, selection of reed, and grading of certified seed pursues. Since that time may I say that wonderful strides have ton made in the growing and care tiiiie crop throughout the growing

mo, the digging, marketing and

pdilg of our certified seed pota-

tis However, while we were re- tailing those instructions and mak- ilgadvances in connection with our potato crop, other provinces and countries were doing likewise, so iliilt at the present time we find there is keen competition from the provinces of New Brunswick, 0n- tarlo and Quebec, and especially from thc state of Maine. Farmers in those places are beginning to grow potatoes in quantities as large a". they can, but I do not think they viii ever reach us in quality.

Increased Crop

“This year there has_ been an im- mense crop of potatoes throughout the Dominion. Reading a report only a short time ago published by the Burt-nu oi Statistics I learned that the increase in this year's po- tato crop over that of last year amounted to 12,000,000 bushels, we had plenty oi potatoes in Canada last ycar and there was no necessity to inlport any for our own con- sumption. Undoubtedly, however, small quantities came in on some occasions. But if one adds 12,000,- 000 bushels to a normal crop of po- tatoes lic can readily see thc posi- tion in which the farmers find themselves. The market for our certified seed potatoes has always been in the southern states, along the Atlantic seaboard, and for flie information oi hon. members may I iuy that the Potato Growers’ As- sociatioli of Prince Edward Island his upwards oi half a million bush- els of potatoes stored in warehouscs ll New York harbour. We have no iluarailtcc whatever that these pota- toes will find a market, because the mic of Maine, which is able to ship il-fl‘ Potatoes to thc southern states Without tiic addition of the duty to W-licli wc m-c subjected, has been uhlc to compctc successfully for our niai-lrci. A5 n result they are ship! it"! immense quantities. Another actor is iliut the farmers in the lirlllihcl-n strikes lire s.» badxy it. ire-rd 0 {was “m they are not in a Ksdilillli-O buy first class, certified houxillt tilcir next year's crop.

my in (ublc stock market was usu- bm w l/uba and the West Indies, out orilflluvc been practically shut ‘he ‘armlc Cuban market because flsainst our potatoes en-

thrli. country is almost pro.-

"ll- We used to ship vast

‘ZlIellf/ro/afu

iie cal/n! cream for Coco. ca/sms, 5°" ffifodt‘. e28.

W'~u>_=.s~_c~~‘ab. u

Potato Embargo is Discussed By

Island Members

Resolution Urging Further Ef- To Secure Removal Of Ban Discussed By Messrs. J . H. Myers Andi E. MacLean.

quantities of potatoes to the cities of Montreal, Quebec, Toronto and other central Canadian cities, but we cannot reach those cities this year because they have more po- tatoes tiuln they can use. Since coming here, for the session I have been told that the farmers of cen- tral Canada are selling their pots.- ‘toes in the cities at prices away be- low the cost of production. Down in Prince Edward Island this is a. very serious matter, especially for those farmers who have gone into the potato growing business on an extensive scale. They had to buy

expensive machinery and their an- nual fertlllzer bills are very hcavy. I am sorry to say that a. great many of last year's bills are not yet paid, and with potatoes selling at 8, 10 or 12 cents a bushel, hon. members will appreciate that those farmers are in s. very bad way financially.

The Engiljr Market

“As has been pointed out by the mover of the resolution, England imports millions of barrels of pota- toes every year. Under normal con- ditions when potato prices in Can- ada and the United States are sat- isfactory the English market is not very attractive to ils by reason oi the very long ocean transportation. , But under present conditions when there is an actual shortage of po- tatoes in England with resultant very high prices, and when we have an immense surplus of potatoes and

ground; then the ml“!!! places. 5653:8111‘ (yours: blame the people o; Great Britain 191' “Ting t0 keep clem- o] such a pest. But to fear that potato bugs would be transported to England in sacks or barrels oi potatoes is sim- ly to fear something that will nev- r happen I "m lwsiiive. sir, that e" 15 110i a man in this house ho ever saw a potato bug in g, “"91 °!' 8 1188 oi’ potatoes. It sim- l)’ does not happen. Th]; has been cry clearly pointed out by the lnlster of Agriculture (Mr. Wclr) 11d his Ofllciais who for the last six eeks have been endeavcring to get t 9 embllfflo removed. But for some r ason or another thc British a thorlties appear to have decided to maintain the embargo. Let me explain to the house that we in our turn have an embargo against p0. tatoes imported from England." r. STEWART (Edmonton): "1 ll d suspected as much." - $41‘. MACKENZIE (Vancouver): “ e have an embargo on many glish commodities besides pota- to s."

r. MYERS: "Wc have an cm- ba go against English potatoes, and rl tly so. You could not get a farmer throughout the whole length and breadth of Canada. to consent to its removal. The reason for the embargo is that British potatoes are infected with a disease known as potato canker-the very worst dis- ease that can affect a potato crop. Our potatoes are free from that dis- ease."

Some hon. MEMBERS: “No."

Mr. MYERS: “We are practically clear of that disease, especially in Eastern Canada; it is not known there, and we do not wish to run the risk of importing the disease. This is what would happen if we admitted potatoes from the old country: The United States would immediately put an embargo against our potatoes because they do not wish to run the risk of potato can- ker affecting their potatoes, and rightly so. But it is one thing to maintain an embargo for e. cause that exists; it ls entirely another thing to maintain an embargo for a cause that does not exist. My un- derstanding of the case is that in those European countries ‘from

our prices are extremely .ow. we should like, for a time at least, to, get into the British market. I-lon. gentlemen from central and west- ern Canada can have no conception

mean to our farmers in New Bruns-

the British market were open to them for the next two months at a

which is a low price. “There is one pcculibr thing about

low our western farmers can hold it over for another year, but, sir, our potatoes will have to be mar- keted in one way or another before the first day of June; if we do not find a market our only recourse is to cart them our to our fields. Our wheat farmers never have to sacri- fice their crop in that way. ‘That is why we are so extremely anxious for the next two or three months to get into the British market.

“As has been explained by the mover of the resolution, the reason the British authorities assign for maintaining the embargo against Canadian potatoes is to guard against the introduction of the Col- orado bectlc into Grcat Britain. I notice that some hon. members from western Canada do not appear to, be very well acquainted with this gentleman known as the Colorado beetle."

Some hon. MEMBERSI bug."

Mi‘. MYERS: “That is his ordin- ary name. Tlic appearance of the potato bug in my province is u. very interesting story. Tlic first potato bug I cver saw was some twenty- five ycars ago. It was brought ashore one duy from tiic lobster fisherman who found it floating seven or eight miles out at sea. 1t was such a curiosity that he kept it for several wccks in n bottle rind showed it to peoplc. That was thc beginning oi our trouble. After that when thc farlncrs went to tiic shore for a load of seaweed, tllcy would find hundreds of thousands of these bugs in tiic seawccd strewn along theshoi-e. I do not know what brought the potato bus l0 0H1‘ shores, but Cfiftfllilly lic was a navi- gator.

"Potato

No Danger To Britain

“Now, we cannot bliunc tiic Elig-

lish authorities for trying to KCED clear of this pest. but flPillllPlll-ll! they misundcrirand the rcnl situa- tion. I have been growing P015111“ practically all my life. We dig our potatoes in tiic fall and store them in potato houses and potato cellars. and never in my expcrlcncc have I seen l potato bug in any of these storage places. The Colorado beetle simply does not follow tbs-potato crop. Even before we dis our D0- tatoes those lads are very Wise. for at the very first appearance of a white frost they burrow into the Ilwnd or conceal themselves in the grass and leaves along the fences. and we see nothing more of them until next summer when our crop

l

_ is three ‘or four inches above

which England imports her potatoes thc potato beetle does not exist; but they have the potato beetle in

France, and I understand that no French potatoes are imported into whatever of just what it would l England at the present time.

"For the last six weeks efforts

wick and Prince Edward Island if have been made by the Minister oi

Agriculture and his department to have the question brought to a.

price of 30, 40 or 50 cents a bushel, ‘head. Experts from the department iare over in England at the present

time trying to secure the removal

potatoes. If the price of wheat is lofthe embargo, and New Bruns-

wick and Prince Edward Island

have sent delegates to London to support those department officials.

The object of this resolution, sir, is to have the House of Commons go

‘on record as requesting that the

embargo be removed, or at least suspended for the time being. We from the marltirnes have always backed up our hon. friends from western Canada in their efforts to secure better conditions in their section of the dominion, and as a. special favour we now ask those hon. members on both sides of tiic house to support this resolution and so help to bring about tiic rcniovol of the British embargo against our: potatoes.”

Mr. lifacLcanki Remarks

Mr. A. E. MacLEAN (Prince): “Mr. Speaker, I desire to thank the hon. member for Victoria-Carleton (Mr. Smith) for having brought this matter before tiic house. As tiic hon. member for York-Sunbury (Mr. Hanson) hos just said, this is an important matter to the people of the marltimcs. We have had a large crop of potatoes but there is no nial-kct available. The farmer's have been compelled to sell pota- toes at as low as tcii cents pcr bushel, and everyone will realize thc difficulties undcr which our farmers arc operating.

“ s has bccnpointcd out, a dele- gation froliithcmaritime provinces, supplemented by a man from the Department of Agriculture, was sent to Great Britain iii an endeavour to have this embargo removed. Our information up to tiic present time is that they have not been success- fill in lllCll‘ mission. It is very hard for the people of the marltimes and of Canada as a whole to understand why our friends in Great Britain have not sccn their way clear to lift this embargo. It is too bad that something has not been done, even of a temporary character, because it would have rcllcvcd the situation. This rclicf must conic qllli-‘kll’ in order to bc beneficial, because the distance being so great it is lin- possiblc to ship our potatoes to Great Britain in thc summer time and ‘have them arrive lll 800d @011- dition. No doubt tiic coloration h» done everything DOSSIIJIQ. but» I agrce with the hon. mcmber who moved the solution flint this housc should take strong and definite ac- tion on this matter. I illldifilllilld that the delegation is about to rv turn, and if a cabicgrom could be sent, possibly this evening, to the mmmry m. Great Britain asking

THE CHARLOTTETOWN GUARDIAN

F FANCY DRESS i‘, CARNIVAL

U FRIDAY, FEB. 19

BY "TIC"

TODAY'S RACES (VH5, g Second l Goal ‘There is a lot of interest being iMccann “oncmn I

taken in today's horse races and

them to reconsider their stand. I think it would be money well 59°11'5-

"The hon. member for York- Sunbury has stated that we were not in the habit of shipping pota- toes to England. I cannot @8766 with that statement, because in the past where there has been a short- agc in Great Britain and a surplus here, shipments have been made. Last year Great Britain was short some 360 tons and large quantities were brought in from other coun- tries .

“The suggestion that the potato beetle is the reason for the embargo can hardly be supported. I Have received information from large po- tato dealers in Great Britain to the effect that they import every year large quantities of Spanish pota- toes. Spain is one of the countries infested with the beetle, even more so than Canada. If potatoes can be imported from Spain there is no reason why our potatoes should not be allowed into the British market.

"Early in the session of last year I put a question on the order pa- per asking that the Department oi Agriculture take up with Great Bri- tain the matter oi this embargo. I have no doubt that all hon. mem- bers from the maritimes who were interested in this matter noticed that question. I felt that we were being shut out oi every market and that the time had arrived when we had to find some other outlet for our products. As our good friends the Englishmen were not any too quick to respond to any request made, I thought it well to endeavor to get the government to take up this question at an early date. How- ever, I did not make much progress with my question nor_with the cor- respondence exchanged between myself and the department. I have before me a. letter which I received last year from a firm in Liverpool, J. Johnson 8s Son, Limited. At that time they stated they were very anxious to import Canadian pota- toes as there was a. shortage and there would be a good market for our product. The letter reads as follows:

"We are pleased to have your letter of the 16th March, and we have already taken this matter up with the British government, and we are endeavouring to gci. them to allow us to import a cer- tain quantity of potatoes during the next two months, as we think we will need them in this country, if the price is reasonable, as our crops in this country are now get- ting cleared up, and it looks as if another month would see us de- pending On the German or Dutch suppliers, and we maintain if we are to import any potatoes at all, why not give the opportunity to Canada.

"That is the attitude adopted by this firm. The lcttcr continues:

"As tlirre is no embargo on thc Spanish pcintocs which are im- p:v.-l..~.l into this country and vzlfcli is affected by the Colorado l: c. we silggcst that you takc

i,‘ .5 up with some responsible of-

Iixlr-s of your government that

ili~y pllt tiic argument forward to

this side.

"They then asked for quota/fans on Canadian potatoes. 'I‘liat lcttcr urns written to me last March while the house was in session. Upon its receipt I wrote to the Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Weir) enclosing a copy. In his reply he pointed out that this matter had been brought to tiic attention of the British gov- ernment at different time's, and that Doctor Grisdale had gone to Great Britain in 1927 at which time he lind used every effort to have the embargo lifted, but without success. Thc minister thought that possibly it might not bc an opportune time to take this matter up again, but I cannot agree with that view. I feel that if we had started this agitation twclve months ago, Canada. today would be in a. great deal brttc; po- sition than shc is regarding the question. -

"I have under my hand a number of letters from different firms who are all of thc same opinion, namely, that we should prtos strongly from this side and that we should have asked the consumers 1n Grcat Bri- taln to use their influence with the British Minister of Agriculture in an endeavour to have the embargo lifted. If we arc going to get any relief this year, as I said in my opening remarks, wc must act very quickly. definitely and strongly.

“The excuse of the Colorado bee- tle can no longer bc advanced by the British authorities because they are importing from other countries which are infested by that insect. I have in proof of that lztters which I have read from large 1111901161‘! there. I am afraid there is another reason and I almost hesitate to ad-

vance it; but if I understand the

msttcr correctly, it n this, that the

Jemmett, ’I‘ruro Kalli‘. Abbics

E. Mosher, Caps. C. Lawlor, I-IaliIaxE

midable ‘ ,, on clay last year, h: rheal whizz and showed it by angergasvifry ltlart ‘m 15¢‘ 1115i film-king All-Slur icuiiis sccnis t") t “r5 n’ Maine- W119"? he illc hockey fan's long su.t u‘. hey certainly know how to cut this ru-aon of the year I've done’ loose. Maior S, 2.12%, is good for ,,. 1,, somebody also m, i quarters in 30 seconds any 01' ' "m9. 811d Hush. a new arrival to the fast brigade is said t4; have as much “ck as flllybfldVs horse. Last but not least perhaps, is voio Rico. 2-04. Winner of the fastest third heat in the Maritimes lost Year. 2.08%. This is his first up; pearance on the frozen surface and he may not take to it, having 50mg Peculiar notions of his own at limes. but maybe he will, and i; 5., shwld put up a 3011811 struggle for a place.

_ P I the new course has been surveyed Gross AbblesDefenC l Munch)“, r ZGS and laid out. 1t will be to the W851. i (,- . ' r " ..

of the previous course, that is, fur-l rmmh rivm ‘Urage’ I

that towards York Point’ The lcellocnlion Truro S "lb Abbics . should be good and fast time: arel ' Gen": ' ,

cted when th ' ~

lurs slllmlul » In the gree_for_an Wm be such Shir-iris, ‘Prllin liin Tiionctonl ice champs as Miss Possibility, who,l “"""“"'~ 1 BY although ghg did not make a m,“ hfcManus, Caps. A. ' ‘yior, Rang.’

(Associated Press)

BOSTON, Mass, Feb. 16-'I'he Boston Bruins played their best brand of hockey tonight to register their first victory of the season over the speedy Toronto Maple Leafs, who were shut out, 3 to 0.

The first period was cautiously played and ended without a score. In the second, Frank Jerwa was bumped at the Leafs’ blue line but he managed to slide the puck over it and Dlt Clapper nailed it. He passed left to Barry and Marty aimed a hard shot that struck goalie Chabot’s right skate and bounced back into his net for the opening tallly.

Art Chapman intercepted Happy Day's passout in the third period, pivoted in quickly and drove a. 15 v footer into the Toronto net. The‘ Leafs then cast caution to the winds and put on a terrific five man attack. These tactics were costly, for Cooney Welland was on the tsfde of a scrimmage when the puck sailed out of it and the tiny third string centreman beat the pack down the ice and poked. his shot through Chabot without greet difficulty.

Women's Music Club

The regular meeting of the Wo- men's Music Club was held on Mon. day evening, February 15th at the home oi Mrs. Keith Rogers. The program for the evening was taken from Mozart's compositions, and re-I ilected great credit on the differ- ent members taking part.

The program follows:

Paper on Mozart-Miss Berna