SUSPECTED CASE IN NELSON

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 23 August 1927, Page 5

SUSPECTED CASE IN NELSON

CULTURE TAKEN TO AVEL LINGTON

DR. CURTIS MEETING GOVERNMENT EXPERTS

The announcement in last night's “Mail” that there were indications that the, dreaded fireblight disease had appeared in a Nelson orchard, has made a painful impression amongst local orchardists. Pending a pronouncement, from Wellington there is still a ray of hope that the trouble may not be fireblight, though should the decision be disappointing in this respect it will not come as a great surprise to the fruitgrowers, who have been repeatedly warned by Dr. Tillyard that it waa only a matter of time before the disease reached Nelson. However, the expectation in no way reduces the extreme seriousness of the matter, and it is urgently necessary that every effort be made* to deal with an actual* or possible outbreak.

An immediate problem is the hawthorn. It is demonstrated beyond dispute that flowering hawthorn and pip fruits cannot exist alongside each other in the presence of fireblight. This problem, with the spread of fireblight through the Dominion, has become a national one, involving a question od‘ compensation for those who have to lose hedges in a national cause. The principle of compensation is not a new one in agricultural mailers, for it has long been in operation with regard to diseased cattle ; and it seems reasonable, to suggest,that it. he applied in connection with the removal of hawthorn.

IF FIREBLIGHT APPEARS

Last week, during an interview, the Hon. 0, J, Hawken, Minister of Agriculture, emphatically assured Mr Atmore that on the first appearance of fireblight in Nelson the hawthorn must go. ■ This indicates that the Minister, who has on so many occasions shown practical sympathy with the fruit industry, is prepared to go to the extreme limit to save the industry from destruction. , , ■ There remain only a few T weeks before the hawthorn is in flower, and it is difficult lo see how the enormous mileage- of this hedge in Nelson can be dealt with in the short time available, unless there is the utmost concentration of labour on t?ie job of cutting down or entirely removing the hedges.

■MEMBERS ACTIVE

Mr H. Atmore, M.P., is actively interesting himself in the matter. He wired as follows to Mr R. P. Hudson, M.P., last evening: . ‘‘Dr. Kathleen Curtis is leaving to-night for Wellington with a culture of suspected fireblight from a local oi’chard. I suggest that you meet her and introduce her cn. our joint behalf to the Minister of Agriculture in the morning. I shall remain here a day or two. I suggest that the Minister should send immediately the two patrol- officers promised us last week. Please advise me of position from time to time.” - Mr Atmore later wired again to Mr Hudson tha.t the matter was very urgent, and that- he wished to be kept in close touch with all developments. Mr Atmore also wired the Hon. O. J. Hawken, Minister of Agriculture, direct, suggesting that he send the patrol officers over immediately. To-day Mr Hudson, who is as keenly interested in the subject as .Mr Atmore, telegraphed the latter that as requested he introduced Dr. Curtis to the Minister this morning, Dr. Reakes (Direc-tor-General of the Agriculture Department) and Mr J. A. Campbell (chief of the Horticulture Division) being also present. It was arranged that Dr. Curtis should to-day meet Government laboratory experts fn consultation. Mr Hudson urged the Minister to expedite the sending over of patrol officers lo Nelson. The Hon. 0. J. Hawken also replied, stating that Dr. Curtis was lo confer .with Government laboratory experts with a view to further joint investigation.