SCALE AND FUNGUS-INFESTED FRUIT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10628, 17 December 1897, Page 3

SCALE AND FUNGUS-INFESTED FRUIT.

Ik the New Zealand Government Gazette of the 9bh inst,, are published two very important) proclamations by the Governor, relating to the importation of infected fruit or plants. These two proclamations will have great importance to nil engaged in the importation of fruit from the Islands, as well as from Australia. One of the proclamations relates to citrous fruits infested with "any species of scale insect (Goccid) or in or on which there are traces that any such pest is or has been present in any form or stage of development," and the other proclamation relates to the insect known as the Queensland fruit fly (Tβphrites); and by the proclamations issued, all such fruits and insects, or anything that may have come into contact with fruit so infectod, are absolutely prohibited from being allowed to enter Mew Zealand ■ ports. It is well that such proclamations have been issued, for it is a well known fact that many oranges for years past have been imported and distributed, badly infected with scale insects. Bananas are also in the same condition on many occasions, but hitherto no official notice has been taken of them. It may be stated that bananas are not grown bore in such abundance that the scale insect often seen on imported bananas would have a chance of propagating itself here; but although bananas are nob grown here in any quantity, ib has yet to be ascertained whether the scale insect which oftentimes infest bananas to such an extenb that the fruit is misshapen and dwarfed in development in consequence, would nob thrive on other plants found growing here. As the Christmas season is now approaching, large importations of island fruib may be expected any day, and it will be necessary for the inspectors appointed under "The Orchard and Garden Pests Act, 1896," to be on the alert. The proclamations referred to above provide that infected fruib attempted to be imported into the colony shall bo dealt with as provided in the sixth clause of the above Act, which reads as follows:—" Any plant, fungus, parasite, insect, or other thing which is in any way introduced, or attempted to bo introduced into the colony, in contravention of this Act, or of any proclamation made hereunder, may, together with any package containing the same, or with which the same may have come into contact, be seized by the inspector or by any authorised person, and be disinfected, destroyed, or otherwise disposed of as the inspector deems lit, ab the expense of the owner, and without compensation to the owner or any other person." So far as is known, the Queensland fruit fly has nob yet been introduced into the colony, but the experience of it the settlers in Australia have obtained show it to be a very destructive little creature, and one which would soon do a lob of injury were it unfortunately established in our midst. If no appointment of inspectors under this Act has been gazetted, which we fear is the case, it is to be hoped that the proclamations now issued will nob be rendered useless by the neglect of appointing tho necessary officers to give practical effect) to the same.