MORE FRUIT FLY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 68, 13 December 1907, Page 2

MORE FRUIT FLY.

OVER TWO HUNDRED CASES CONDEMNED. BANANAS INFECTED. ANOTHER SHIPMENT TO BE .EXAMINED TO-DAY. The fmit fly continues to arrive in large juantities. Yosterday the Maheno brought 1000 casos of Now South AY alt l s fruit, of ivhich 120 wero condomned for fruit fly, and iout to thn dcstructor. Four of these cases n'cro of mandarins, and the remainder ipricots. In addition, 85 cases of fruit woro found infected with scale, and were fumigated, this being a satisfactory safeguard for scale, but quite ineffectual for the embedded fruit fly maggots. At 'Auckland early this week (says a Pross Association message) 100 cases of apricots, plums, and oranges from Sydney were found ! infected with fruit fly, and yesterday a quantity of bananas from Fiji were also badly infected, and condemned. The fact that the Hauroto arrived in Wellington port yesterday afternoon with 1200 cases of bananas from tho Islands makes matters interesting. This fruit will bo examined to-day. No warning is necessary from us to the Now South Wales people, who axe well Oognisant of the fate which unerringly awaits fly-infested fruit at this end. All that they heed is tho information that among tho fruit they are sending, some consignment (or consignments) is infectcd. Probably a few inexperioncod growers have been caught unawares early in tho season,' and tho future consignments will bo better scrutinised. New Zealanders, after thoir scare' of last season, are certainly in no mood to temporise; and Sydney fruit will be promptly and rigidly shut out altogether if tho presout flood of infection does not immediately, cease. .Some of the Island shipments have in the past been tolerably clean, but no risks will lie taken. New Zealand fruit-growers > are genuinely afraid of the terrible fruit fly. . Tho general public will do well to report to tho Biologist or other public officer any sign of maggots in fruit of any kind purchased iri the Wellington shops.. Although It is not likely the inspectors will let any pests pass them, there is no room for hazards, with this worst of all fruit pests.