ORCHARD PESTS,

Marlborough Express, Volume XLV, Issue 64, 16 March 1911, Page 5

ORCHARD PESTS,

CASES BEFORE THE COURT

NOMINAL FINES IMPOSED

At the Magistrate's Court this morning, Mr R. S. Florance, S.M., dealt with the adjourned orchard pest cases against John Ladd, William Murray, and William Maxwell. These cases were called on at the Court yesterday, but Mr McNab, who appeared for defendants, asked the Magistrate to view the orchards in which the pests were found. The Court was adjourned to permit of this being do.ne, and Mr Boucher, Government Pomologist, accompanied the party on their tour of inspection. When the cases came on this morning Mr McNab pleaded guilty on behalf of Ladd and Maxwell under extenuating circumstances. He pointed out that they were charged with failing to eradicate codlin moth and mussel scale from their orchards, but submitted that they could no+, be expected to keep their orchards clean when the adjoining properties were not- free from these pests. The Magistrate had. seen for himself that the, hedges round the orchards were infested with blight and other diseaws1. The inspector had admitted that he had woolly aphis in his orchard, and was unable to cope with it, and would it be fair to fine the defendants -. for something that the inspector could not control? | Mr Rabbits said that he had admitted no such thing. He admitted having woolly aphis in his orchard, but stated that lie could j control it'!, Mr- McNab asked that Mr Boucher be placed in the box, pointing out that he wanted to know what effect mussel scale had on the trees. Mr Boucher ' went Into ' the. box and said that mussel scale was most injurious to trees; in, fact, it meant almost certain death to the trees. It was one of the worst pests with which orchardists had iio contend, and was next to woolly aphis. The Agricultural Department had been working for years endeavouring to cope with these pests, and had found that- red oil was the most effective thing for the eradication of mussel scale; > : This had been-discovered only during the past IS months. There were other remedies used prior to this discovery which were very effective. The Magistrate said there was no doubt that the defendants had broken the law, but under the circumstances he thought a. nominal fine ■'would meet the case. A fine of ,10s and 7s costs was imposed in ea.ch Case. ' * In the case of Mr Murray, Mr McNab pleaded not"' guilty, stating that his client had done all that he considered necessary. The defendant gave evidence to the effect that he had sprayed with arsenate of lef«.d, and had done what the thought necessary. Last year his yield of •apples was 200 bushels, and there was not half a bushel infested with any disease. The Magistrate said he could not make a distinction between Mr Murray and the other defendants. It was quite clear that mussel scale exip'ted in his garden, and .he'would be fined the same amount as the other defendants.