THE POISONED HONEY QUESTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9370, 21 May 1889, Page 3

THE POISONED HONEY QUESTION.

TO TilK EDITOR. SrR, —In a recent issue there was a letter signed Mr. I. Hopkins, in which he says he has had great experience in the different sorts of honey produced in New Zealand, and that he is only aware of one sort that is poisonous, viz., that which is obtained from the flower of the whurangi. Now, if this is true, that Mr. Hopkins Knows only of one .sort, his experience with respect to New Zealand honey cannot be very great, for every boy on this coast of 16 years of age is well aware of three sorts, namely, the wharangi, the whauriki, and the puawananga, the latter being the most poisonous of all. It is in blossom nearly two months. The tree containing the bees and honey obtained by the three natives who were poisoned stands not five chains from where the two bodies were found, and when the search party went out they found this tree, and ascertained that very little of the honey had been removed by the three that were poisoned. Some of the search party ate or tasted but a very small piece of it, and two out of the number were unable to walk three hours afterwards. The pua wananga honey is quite bitter to the taste at first, and afterwards causes a burning sensation in the pit. of the stomach, with parched lips, and a very heavy sleep comes over the eater. This is quite the reverse with respect to wharangi or whariki honey. I have been here since the year forty-three, and have known of scores of cases of poisoning by eating honey. I think some steps should be taken to get some and have it analysed.—l am, &c, B. Savage. Matata, May 17.