ISLAND FRUIT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 109, 10 May 1909, Page 8

ISLAND FRUIT.

There still seems to be a little misunderstanding in the minds of some importers of Cook Islands fruit as to the effect of present regulations. Some weeks ago we announced that as the Cook Islands authorities had commenced inspection, and as a legal opinion was given that the group was really a part of the Dominion for the purposes of the Orchard and Garden Pests Act, Government had decided that the group came under clatisc 4 of that statute — that is, they must be regarded as an infected district from which fruit could be sent by the authority of an inspector. It was therefore arranged that, pending the organisation of the island inspection, the Department of Agriculture in Wellington would not lefuse to accept fruit from the group merely because it did not bring a certificate. Further, that, in view of the recent legal decision, the mile radius clause would not be insisted upon for the Cook Islands, but would, of course, still apply to all other countries. It has been pointed out to us that if the people of the Cook Group are alive to the possibilities of the present position they will see that everything is done to control disease, and so obtain practically the whole New Zealand market for themselves. The Cook Islands authorities have, it is understood, prepared a special ordinance "which gives to the inspectors similar powers to those possessed by the inspectors in Fiji. The powers are very extensive, and enable the inspector to refuse a certificate for any fruit which he does not consider should be shipped, no matter for what cause.