INCOMPETENT AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 533, 14 June 1909, Page 10

INCOMPETENT AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT.

(To the Editor.) 'Sir,—l'see-by.the reports that 1350 saclts of Tasmanian potatoes hare heen landed in this colony and many more are coming. Now, sir, when, we consider the news that camo ■from Tasmania lately,-that a new disease had attacked their crops and did much harm' there, is it not .surprising tliat the Agricultu'ral.Depa.rtinen.t did not take steps to prevent any of their potatoes.coming over, hero, and thereby prevent, possibly! a new diseaso being imported into New.Zealand? We havo quite enouch diseaso (the Irish blight) jn. tfhe potatoes. already, and by all accounts . wo sballnever get a good crop of potatoes.here again, so of courso the public has to pay more for what is left, so if wo ha-ve another post to contend with in growing potatoes in New Zealand,.and it does as much damageas is reported from Tasmania, potatoes will be a 'luxury in this country, and the peoplo will have a dilatory Agricultural Department to blame for it. The other colonies debar our potatoos from being oxported to thorn becausowo havo Irish blisjht horo, to protect their fanners,_ and thereby ensavre as far as possible bountiful crops which are sold eboap. i\\Ve,von- the othor hand,' allow all kinds to come even wion'they come from a land with a Jiew'disease that destroys tho crop, so probably our working classes will have a harder strugglo to live, for cheap potatoes are a boon. —I am, eto.. . .:• -■ FAE'MBR. Bastings, June 10..