IMPORTATION OF PLANTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19762, 8 October 1927, Page 13

IMPORTATION OF PLANTS.

LEGISLATIVE CONTROL. CHECK AGAINST NEW PESTS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] "WELLINGTON. Friday. Legislation designed to control or prohibit the introduction of harmful or new plants into New Zealand was introduced into the House to-day. The proposals, if approved, will come into force on April 1, 1928. At present there is no legislation in the Dominion controlling the importation of plants not affected by disease, and it is open to anyone to import plants that may later become serious pests. It is held officially not to be practicable to control the importation of plants of kinds that are already commonly grown in, or imported into, New Zealand, or to control what is known as the accidental introduction of new plant pests by such means as ships' ballast, seeds in packing material, or impurities in useful seeds. It was considered, however, that steps should be taken to control the intentional importation of new plants. The importation of beasts, birds, reptiles, insects, etc., is already under the control of the Minister of Internal Affairs. The general purport of the bill is to prohibit the importation of any plant named in any of the schedules to the Noxious Weeds Act, or water hyacinth, or any other plant named, by Order-in-Council, and to provide that persons desirous of importing any plant not commonly, grown in, or imported into, New Zealand, must obtain the consent of the Minister of Agriculture. The provisions of the bill do not affect the operations of the Orchard and Garden Diseases Act, 1908, and no permit will be required in the case of any new variety of * such plants as potatoes, wheat, roses or crysanthemums. Breaches of the provisions will be punishable by a fine of £6O.