THE FIREBLIGHT REGULATIONS

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21285, 3 October 1934, Page 16

THE FIREBLIGHT REGULATIONS

PRESCRIBING OF NEW AREAS GENERAL FARMERS' CONSENT NECESSARY It is not, considered essential to enforce the lireblight regulations throughout the whole of Canterbury, as orchards are to be found only in parts of the province. However, should the concurrence of the farmers' organisation concerned be obtained, the Minister for Agriculture (the Hon. C. E. Macmillan) will be pleased to consider carefully any proposal to extend the present boundaries. This information was conveyed to members of the Upper Riccari.on Burgesses' Association last night in a letter from the Minister, replying to a request from the association that the fireblight regulation should be enforced throughout the whole of Canterbury. The letter slated that when the tireblight act was under review, considerable difficulty was obtained in reconciling the interests ot: fruitgrowers and general farmers in areas where the two occupations were carried on. tn consequence, the department felt under ;< moral obligation to consul! the farming community as to the extension of any of the original areas. In the past action had been taken accordingly. Neither the extension of present areas nor the introduction of new ones has been agreed upon until the concurrence of the general farming community in the areas affected had been obtained. The reply was advers-ly criticised. Mr L. Storer said that the blirht hsd first been evident in the Kaikoura or Blenheim districts. Now it had spread to Lceston. The matter was causing considerable concern to fruit growers. The chairman (Mr K. E. Bigg) remarked that the best plan seemed to be to bring the matter before the member for the district (Mr H. S. S. Kvle). Mr K. J. Collins said that he realised that the department might not wish to force the regulations on to farmers in districts where fruit growing was not carried on. and where hawthorn' iences were used extensively. How- ! ever, he could not see whv the department was not willing to have the ■.est of the province brought provisionally under the regulations, growers In report such cases of lireblight as ihey considered dangerous, and the department lo decide whether the danger i .fUbtiried the cost >■! cutting the thorn. I 1/ this were done. ,: would not mean i a great increase in the cost of inspectors' wages and travelling expenses, and the department need "not compel any general farmer to cut his thorn in cases where there were a majority of fruit growers in the district. The fireblight regulations were not enforced in Leeston at the present time, as far as he knew, said Mr Storer. After some further discussion, it was agreed that Mr Storer interview Mr Kyle on the subject.