FRUIT FLY REGULATIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13862, 23 September 1908, Page 8

FRUIT FLY REGULATIONS.

NO RELAXATION. - '• MINISTER'S REPLY TO '. ■ ■ . }'■ DEPUTATION. y; [BY TELEGRAPH.-—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.} ■ Wellington, Tuesday. ' A deputation of Auckland, Wellington, and Southern fruitbrokers waited upon the Minister for Agriculture (the Hon. R. McNab) this afternoon for the purpose of bringing under his notice certain matters connected with the importation of fruit, including tile question of the relaxation of the fruit fly regulations. The Auckland delegates present, were Messrs. Howarth, A. Tooman, and A. E. Glover! Mr. Baume, M.P., introduced the deputation,.,; and Messrs. Kidd, Poole, and Lawry were also present. Mr. Howarth said that the Auckland representatives desired to make it perfectly clear that they were anxious to avoid the introduction of the pests, but they did not think that sufficient discrimination had been made between the Mediterranean and Queensland flies. He claimed that there was*, little or no risk from the Queensland fly, and he suggested that a declaration by the exporter to the effect that so far as he knew the fruit, was free from fruit fly, together with rigid examination at tho port of entry, Avould bo sufficient to meet the interests "of all concerned. Mr. Tooman said that the present regulations in regard to Island fruit were quite unworkable in practice, for the reasons previously stated. It had not been proved that the fly would live in New Zealand, and if it would not live it was unreasonable to destroy a whole shipment of fruit on account of their being one or two infected specimens. He also suggested that a fumigating plant be erected at Rarotouga. As to the other islands in the Eastern Pacific, ■ as. they were free of fly he suggested that the Department should allow fruit from them to be admitted without certificates, subject to careful examination at the port of discharge. Mr. Patterson (Dunedin) confirmed what had been said by the Auckland delegates, and stated that, although fruit badly infected with the maggot had been coming into Dunedin for several years past, there was no sign that it had obtained a hold in, that district. Mv. McNab expressed his pleasure at the temperate manner in. which the wishes of the deputation had been placed before him. As to a statement that the regulations would not have been passed if submitted as a Bill, those who said it could not have been aware of the strong feeling that had been manifested by the fruitgrowers' associations all over the Dominion, including Auckland' itself. A large number of these associations had written to him, asking him not to stop short of the absolute prohibition of the importation of all fruit from infected countries. As to whether the fruit fir would develop in New Zealand, he pointed out that the report of Mr. Kirk showed that oranges had come into the Dominion at different times infected with about half-a-dozen varieties of flies. In j Auckland "picking • over" had been per- j mitted, and as a result of this relaxation j the fruit riy had got a u hold hi the country. '•! The matter created more excitement in the country than th« Auckland brokers were'! probably aware of, and the Department had not gone nearly so far in the matter as they were , urged to 'go by those who took ■: an j interest in the matter,. ,As to the requests j of the deputation, ho regretted! that, be-,: yond the relaxation in regard to .bananas, already promised, he could not promise any j modification. v A great number of people, j rightly or wrongly, believed that we were threatened with the fruit fly. If the fly got a strong hold in the country it would constitute a. pest, the like of which the country had never known before. Experts Mere divided in their opinions, and whilst this division existed the Government was not, going to run any risk. As to the islands where it. was alleged the fruit fly did not exist, it would be an easy thing for the shippers to give a certificate. It would be the duty of the oflicer (Mr. Reid), who had been sent to the Islands to ascertain which islands were immune >• from the fly. As to those islands where the fly was known to exist, he could not hold out any hope of any relaxation beyond that already promised. According to the advice he had received, it would not be safe to do away i with the certificates. , Even in the modification in respect to bananas, they were run- i ning a certain amount of risk. Auckland, on account of its climatic conditions, presented greater risks in regard to infection than any other part of the Dominion, and he could not see his way to grant any relaxation in regard to citrous and other fruits. " '

FRUIT BROKERS' RESOLUTIONS. O [BTTELKCBAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] ' j * Wellington, Tuesday. The Ifruit Brokers' Conference to-day resolved, "That the Union Steam Ship Company be asked - to provide a faster stcaiitci', to arrive at Auckland on Thursday, and to continue its voyage down the coast with the Southern cargo.'' It was also decided, "That a deputation wait on the Minister, with a request that he should reduce the railway charges. on imported fruits.''; ••'•-.' ■ .'. It was decided to bring the question before- Sir Joseph Ward, after the members of- the conference had Been" Mr. Kennedy, of the Union Steam Ship Company, and the Hon. R. McNab.