DISEASED FRUIT.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13009, 10 January 1908, Page 8

DISEASED FRUIT.

* ENFORCING THE ACTT.

! (press association telegram.) WELLINGTON. January 9. [ Tlh» recently reported decision of the Biological Department to enforce with strictness the penal clauses of the Act relating to diseased fruit of New Zealand growth has caused something; of a stir. For the. jjnidanco of an.y who may we unaware of the fact, it is mentioned that a gilt of die-cased fruit makes the sriver liasblo to a penalty just as much as a .seller would lx». •'Anybody concerned in distributing diseased fruit" fl>ro of the Act. "It has become absolutely necessary to administer the penal clause.-; strictly." said Mr Kirk, chief of the. Biological Department-, to a reporter to-day. •"There have been three years of warning triven to orchardists, and to permit offences to continue now would bo unfair to careful growers and unwise £rom n coroimcircial point of view. A grc v at deal of money has been invwtcd in orchard properties, f o allf<w Ruoh a prst rs the fruit fly to establish itself here would bo ruinous." Thore is now an area of 27.515 a«:n\; under orchard cultivation within Nev Zealand, nr.d this is incroasintr at ih-> rat-o of 700 acret* a year. 'In tins estimate no cognisance is taken of any ,area loss than a quarter of an acre, and the In mis under tomato crop are also lett out. A commercial orchard »n bearing should, it is suited, ne-von givo a return of less than £30 an acre, :uud on this basic* it ivill be see-n tha , tho Department is charged wr..i th.-> iut<»rf«ts cf an industry worth £700.1-50 per auuuitu