THE VINE INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10406, 2 April 1897, Page 4

THE VINE INDUSTRY.

We have already drawn attention to the retarding influence which the action oi the Agricultural Department had upon the development of the wine-growing industry in this province. To establish this industry as a national concern, a considerable variety of wme-proclucing grape vines will have to be introduced tor the purpose of ascertaining by actual trial the varieties most suitable for our soil and climate; for if wine production is to become oue of our national agricultural industries, the sooner we learn which variety of grape vine will give the best result, the sooner will the New Zealand wine trade assume its proper: position. To guard against fresli infection of phylloxera vastatrix, or other vine diseases, as a matter of prudence the Government require that all cuttings introduced into the colony should be disinfected upon arrival. To carry this precautionary measure into effect, red - tape circumlocution has arranged that all imported vine-cut-tiugs shall be sent to Wellington, to be tossed about there at the convenience of the officers of the Agricultural Department. As a result of this roundabout way of doing business, last year Mi , . F. D. Fenton had many thousands of vine cuttings, imported at considerable expense from South Australia, completely destroyed. A season is thus lost, besides a large amount of capital wasted. Auckland is the only place in the colony where are to be found gentlemen with a practical knowledge of the live phylloxera in this colony, and it would have certainly been more businesslike on the part of the Minister for Agrioulture to have confined the inspection of vine cuttings to the place where there is to be found local knowledge of the vine louse, Captain Broun, entomologist, land Mr. T. P. Clieeseman, of the Museum, are / gentlemen certainly better qualified to deal witli the disinfection of vines than any person to be found at Wellington. Captain Broun has shown a painstaking care, and a thoroughness of work, which is not only creditable to the Government for appointing him to his present position, but he has also gained the full confidence of the settlers by the kindness, firmness, and thoroughness with which lie has carried out his duties. Were he appointed to see after the disinfection of imported vine cuttings, he would do it thoroughly, without loss of time, and without injury to the vines operated upon. Now that there is to be an early and short session of Parliament, Auckland members should see that Captain Broun is appointed to be the examiner and disinfecter of imported vine cuttiugs at Auckland, and if he is given a week 01 ten days' notice as to when vine cuttings are expected, no doubt he will see that the duty is promptly attended to. Unless some reasonable method such as we have suggested above b< adopted for the inspection end prompt disinfection df imported vine cuttings, no doubt methods will be resorted to by which vine cuttings will come into the colony without inspection. Our Auckland representatives should also see that the Government take the necessary steps at once to stamp out the phylloxera among the few vines where it is known to exist. A small compensation, and a very small expense in ro6ting out the vines and burning them, would get rid of all risk from this source, and while the risk of danger of infeotion from within the colony exists it cannot be expected that capital will be readily invested in the glowing of the grape >ine, howover promising the industry may be a* t« financial results.