DANGER OF FIREBLIGHT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 18 November 1937, Page 12

DANGER OF FIREBLIGHT

j VALUE or HAWTHORN HEDGES ; SUGGESTION BY MEMBER FOR MOTUEKA [From Our Own Parliamentary Reporter] WELLINGTON, This Day. During the discussion in lire House ol Representatives on the Estimates ol the Agriculture Department Mr K. J. llolyoake (National, Molueka) said that the item o£ £lO for the control of lireblight .was so small that it was neither here or there. Members knew that the orchardists taxed themselves for the | control of tlie diseasse and that they were assisted out of the Employment Promotion Fund. There had been a very severe outbreak of the disease in the Molueka districts. There were : great lengths of hawthorn hedge in Molueka and Riwaka, and it was contended, with considerable justification, that the value of those hedges to the farmers other than fruitgrowers was greater than any losses that might I accrue to the fruitgrowers through an | outbreak of lireblight. The hedges were ' very valuable to the farmers for shelter purposes for growing hops, tobacco land small fruits as well as other crops. He thought that the Department could jdo a great deal to meet the position. |Thc farmers ought to be compensated :in some way. He thought a beginning l ought to be made toward replacing the hawthorn hedges and the Department might help by means of a subsidy or ijy providing a suitable variety of trees free to replace the hawthorn and by [providing labour to do the work. U might take live or six years to carry out the work. The lion. Mr Martin: What are you going to do, if the farmers themselves will not have anything to do with the proposition? Mr llolyoake said he thought that if the Department gave them a lead and provided there was no direct cost most farmers would agree to some such plan as lie had outlined. He felt that gradual replacement was the best way out. The Hon. Mr Martin: What arc you going to do with the disease in the meantime. Mr Holyoake said that he was suggesting a way out in 5 or C years. They ought to get on with the job as soon as possible.