ORCHARD PESTS ACT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8823, 15 March 1909, Page 5

ORCHARD PESTS ACT.

INSUFFICIENT SPRAYING.

At the Magistrate's Court this morn--ing Robt. Hart was charged, on an information laid by Mr bimm, Government Pomologiet, .with having failed to comply with the Orchard and Garden Pests Act with regard to the spraying of fruit trees for scale and codlift moth. Defendant pleaded not guilty. Mr C. A. Loughnan prosecuted. A. G. Simm gave evidence as to the condition, of defendant's orchard, which he stated was very bad. He had visited it on various occasions since August 17, 1907, and was of the opinion that the neceesary steps to comply with the Act had not been taken. Cross-examined by defendant he stated he had found signs of .winter spraying. When he called on the last occasion he had been shown over the orchard by defendant's wife and mother and had seen signs that spraying had been carried out. Defendant: Is ib not a fact that you have come straight to my place whenever you have come to Ashhurst, and passed others by? Witness: No it is not. Defendant then produced some leaves of his fruit trees and asked if they showed signs of having been sprayed. Witness stated they did. Joseph Brewer gave evidence ae to having sprayed defendant's trees in November last. He had known the orchard for about 17 years. It was subject to codlin moth and scale as the other orchards were. All the orchards about there were bad with the disease. By Mr Loughnan: He knew that under the Act the orchard had to be sprayed at intervals. He did not know whether the trees had been sprayed since the fruit had set. Robt. Hart stated the trees were sprayed but not every 15 days according to the Act. He had spent some £4 10s on his orchard" altogether and did not think ' the Government could reasonably expect people to go to such an expense. His Worship stated it was clear that defendant had not sprayed sufficiently to keep the pests down. He imposed a fine of £1, costs 7s, solicitors fee £2 2s. •,.,..' A. McDowell was charged with a similar offence and was fined 10s, costs 7s, solicitor's fee £2 2s. E. Scoullar was fined 15s, costs 7s, solicitor's fee £2 2s for a like offence. S. Richardson was also fined 15s, costs 9s, solicitor's fee £2 2s for not complying with the Act.