COOK ISLANDS ; FRUIT INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 206, 25 May 1908, Page 3

COOK ISLANDS ; FRUIT INDUSTRY.

THE MINISTER'S SCHEME. .! AUCKLAND .TO TAKE CHARGE. •■' Concerning the sclieirio of the Minister for Agriculture (tho Hon; It. M'Nab), for .'fruit inspection • in 'the Cook Islands,-• pur Dunedin ''cbn-espondent'telegraphs; that .an officer ;is 'to '|.b§: .sent" .immediately, to • .tho' Islands to •visit; thei 'various. ports of shipment, and to ; rccpmmend :: jhat regulations 'should be enforced. ' : \Tho; cultivationyand' inspi ction. of •'fruit-in" tho ; . Islands : will -be :■ under ;:th'e'i con- . trol of a Dominion officer at their expense. This officer will bo one of the Auckland inspectors, who tfill spend a couple •of -years \nt tho Islands.' Mr. Kirk (Government Biologist) '.and Mr.' Boucher ';(North- Island .pomologist)- some years ago . Visited , the Cook : Islands group;- and/reported-to the Govern-v ment. / This report - goes-: to - show . want of ■ supervision and need of >instruction ; in fruitgrowing/' To meet this defect a; small experi- ' is likely to be provided. • Fruit fly exists on two-'of the Islands, and .efforts will bo made to' .eradicate this entirely; if possible, in which : case free importation of Island' fruits to our shores will fol- ' \low ;>butif it is iound impossible to eradicate .'the. fly entirely,' it will; -if possible,, be confined to vtho -Islands where.. it v ,at present exists,- and' prevented from-• spreading to the "other-Islands..:: - -v ■