YESTERDAY’S PARLIAMENT

Evening Star, Issue 19923, 20 July 1928, Page 9

YESTERDAY’S PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES [Abridged from Press Association.] The Speaker announced that, accompanied by members, ho had presented to His Excellency tho Governor-General the address agreed to by the House in reply to His Excellency’s speech on tho occasion of tho opening of Parliament, and His Excellency had been pleased to make a suitable reply, which was ordered to bo entered in the journals of tho House. The Prime Minister said that probably to-morrow ho would lay on tho table Mr F. B. Kellogg’s Note and New Zealand’s reply regarding tho outlawry of war. The complete papers would probably ho presented laici The Hon. 0. J. Haw ken moved the second reading of the Orchard and Garden Diseases Bill. Ho explained that tho Bill was purely a consolidation ot the existing law, which was in no way interfered with. Tho Minister, in reply to requests for information, said no new inspectors had been appointed of late years, but skilled advice was necessary to most orchardists. Advice regarding trees and their pests was absolutely necessary, and what had been done in this respect had helped the industry greatly. Disease-infected limit was rarely found cm the market now. Now Zealand fruit was as clean as fruit in any part of tho world, duo largely to the operation of this Act. Two hundred and sixty acres were put down in orchards last year, making a total of 30,000 acres now in fruit trees, employing some 0,000 people. With regard to tho power taken to frame regulations from time to time, this was necessary, because of tho changing conditions of the industry. It was not intended to c ompel the registration of small gardens, huh there must bo power to inspect all places •where fruit trees are grown. In the ease of combating fireblight, ho believed that discretion was necessary, hut when blight existed hawthorn bodges must he cut down. The disease had bcQ.ii considerably in tho North Island, but he was confident it would never be eradicated while hawthorn hedges existed. They were carriers for the disease in winter, and it might break out in an orchard miles away in the spring. The second reading was agreed to on "the voices. Other matters are reported under separate captions. Tho House rose at 11.15 p.m.