EMBARRASSING GIFT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20424, 28 November 1929, Page 9

EMBARRASSING GIFT.

A GOVERNMENT'S DILEMMA.

CHERRY TREES FROM JAPAN

TWELVE MONTHS' QUARANTINE

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. 1

SYDNEY, Nov. 21

The gift of the* Japanese Prince, Takainatsu, of 6000 cherry trees to the Commonwealth placed the Government in a dilemma, which has now been overcome. When (lie gift was offered to the Prime Minister, Air. Scullin, as a tribute to the reception that tho Japanese Prince received when lie visited Australia with the Japanese training squadron, it was gratefully accepted by him. Then ho was told that the importation of cherry trees from Japan was strictly prohibited, and for a timo it appeared as though an awkward international problem would surround thoso cherry trees. It seemed that the gift was likely to prove as embarrassing as 11 io white elephant presented by another Eastern potentate. However, difficulties have been overcome, for it has been arranged that tlio cherry trees shall be placed in quarantine for 12 months before they arc permitted to grace the hills surrounding tlio capital, Canberra, arid during that period they will bo thoroughly fumigated. This has not satisfied the orchardists, who fear greatly the introduction of fireblight, but an assurance has been given that the trees when they arc planted will be quite harmless.

It has been decreed for somo years that cherry trees may not be imported from any country where the fireblight is known to exist. Fireblight has been a particularly disastrous infliction in tho United States and Canada and it is known to exist in Manchuria, China and Japan, where it' is supposed to have originated. The Commonwealth authorities arc particularly anxious to keep the pest out of Australia, which has not had a visit from the pest so far. And it does not want

The Superintendent of Horticulture in Victoria said tho other day if fireblight obtained a hold in Australia it would prove a calamity to the apple aud peargrowers. Every possible care to prevent its introduction had been taken. All cultivated trees were liable to attack and were more susceptiblo than tho wild varieties. One danger that might not have been thought of by the Government when accepting the cherry trees is that it affords a precedent for nurserymen who might wish to introduce prohibited trees ;yd plants. For example, citrus trees are not allowed to bo imported from countries where the citrus canker is known to exist.

The Federal Government authorities have always been ultra careful in such matters, as witness tho way in which New Zealand potatoes are kept out of the Commonwealth, even when there is something approaching a famino in potatoes here. One would have thought that the authorities would have eased the regulations in this regard at least, but there has been no inclination to relent in the least, and Australians continue to pay an enormous price for this necessity.