Dangerous Items In Imported Baggage

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32393, 4 September 1970, Page 16

Dangerous Items In Imported Baggage

A straw and bark crib from Holland, a pair of dirty boots from Peru, an apple from Portugal, and a Tahitian fem root—add to these a sheep’s skull, maize seed from Thailand, and a snake skin from the United States, sprinkle with insects found in a consignment of cocoa beans, stir, and there might be witch’s brew that could help to destroy New Zealand’s economy in less than a year, says a departmental report. These, and more than 100 similar items, were intercepted by officers of the Department of Agriculture’s port agriculture service at Christchurch last month. With the exception of the insects, which were found in a cargo shed, they were discovered either in air passengers’ baggage or in parcels sent from abroad. Any one item could have carried animal or plant diseases that could severely damage pasture, crops, and livestock and would cost much money and effort to correct

All of these intercepted items were either reshipped, destroyed or treated before release to their owners. Many Of them were probably free from disease, but in no case could a chance be taken. The insects, and others found in cargoes of bananas from Guam and Ecuador, were sent to the department’s horticultural research centre at Levin for identification. For the 12 port agriculture officers stationed at Christchurch inspection of baggage, parcels, cargo sheds, ships, and aircraft is largely routine but they function under a maze of regulations stemming from numerous acts designed: to prevent the introduction of plant and animal diseases and insect pests. The officers are sometimes criticised "for allegedly causing needless delay to passengers, although inspection of

baggage is only one small part of their duties. The officers find, however, that most passengers are reasonable and respond readily to courtesy. Occasional criticism of another kind they find stimulating from the passenger who feels that his baggage has not been examined with sufficient thoroughness. Meat and raw meat products, raw hides and skins, and garbage from ships and aircraft are considered to be most dangerous. And in the absence of a banana or cocoa plantation, any insects not intercepted might find some vulnerable horticultural crops to feed on.