NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 53, 16 March 1887, Page 1

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

TnE Codlinmoth pest is g catiy exorcising the minds of fruit-growers throughout the colony. The plague has been unprece. dently serious during the past season, arid* orcbardists are fully aroused to the necessity for some repressive measures. A petition praying the Government to ' stop the importation of apples and pears from Australia was recently signed in Southland in a few days. Signatures were obtained representing « 2,447 fruitgrowers, and this, without canvassing, the owners calling where the petition lay. Infected fruit is sti|l seized by the Custom authorities at the Bluff.' The post, however, has long passed the stage when exclusion of foreign fruit would check its ravages. Wo. are indeed now in a position to compete with the world for the supply of the article locally, reared, and with boring powers warranted against all competitors Still, it is worse than useless to impose upon New Zealand fruit-growers restrictions with regard to the destruction of' this destroyer, while infected apples are admitted without restriction. Something must be done by Parliament, to abato tho evil during the ensuing session, and the.-UOet important measure is to prohibit the sale of infected fruit, empowering local inspeotors to seize and destroy any fruit of this description discovered inshopS. Fruit-growers thus prohibited from selling their produce would, in self-protection, adopt more vigorous measures to put down" the plague.

We learn from Wellington that the Representation Bill will be brought before the House for second reading the first week in May, in which case there will ,bo about two months . to. parr . it through. It is also reported that in the course of a week or two the public' will be furnished with copies of tho bill. We trust that the prompt introduction of this measure will be backed by the influence of a united Cabinet. If so, and tho Government are really in earnest about the matter, no great difficulty should be experienced in getting the.bill through before the .expiration of the present parliament, altht ugh the work of mapping ! out the new electorates, to give | equal representation, will involve some delay, and probably necessitate an extension of the duration of parliament for a month I or two in order that the readjustmant ot ! boundaries may obtain legislative sanction.