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Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 85, 9 January 1928, Page 11

Within a week an Invercargill fruiterer recently made quite a collection of various insect pests, foreign to New Zealand. The insects were found upon opening several cases of fruit from the Cook Islands, and were alive when discovered (states an exchange). Included in the collection were three large centipedes, one 4jin. in length, a cockroach Bin. in length, and a huge spider, thought to be poisonous, measuring 2|in.

Canterbury is the home of the black currant growing industry. ’l»ie spring gave promise of phenomenal crops, but tlie recent weather conditions have changed the prospects (reports a local paper), and growers generally report that the crops are below the average. Around Papanui all labour has been recruited to pick the berries, which have ripened rapidly. The crop which gave such promise will only be small and the season short.