WHITE BUTTERFLY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 259, 3 November 1933, Page 3

WHITE BUTTERFLY.

FIJI'S IMMUNITY. CAREFUL INSPECTION SYSTEM.

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Keporter.) WELLINGTON, this day.

How the Dominion's Pacific Island neighbour, the Crown Colony of Fiji, escaped from suffering the ravages of the white butterfly was explained today by Mr. H. W. Simmonds, Government entomologist, who is visiting New Zealand.

I Fiji, he stated, is quite free from this particular trouble, but a year .ago it might have let the pest in but for the careful system of inspection of overseas shipments. A consignment of cauliflowers came to Suva on an American steamer, and was duly inspected by an officer of the Department of Agriculture, who found in the eases the caterpillar larvae of Pieris-napi, otherwise the white butterfly. He called the attention of Mr. Simmonds to the matter. "I also inspected the cases," added the entomologist, "and I estimate that every one contained at least a hundred full-fed lar--ae. I took specimens, and hatched out a male and female. As for the consignment of vegetables, the ship's officers were instructed not to land it, and it w-nt on to Auckland. Probably the cauliflowers were consumed on the ship, but in any case New Zealand was already infected with the pest.

"Hawaii, on the route from the United States, is also infected, but Fiji is still free."