PHYLLOXERA IN GRAPES

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4384, 15 June 1901, Page 7

PHYLLOXERA IN GRAPES

COMPLAINT FIIOM AUSTRALIA. In an article on the fruit industry, the “Sydney Daily Telegraph” says: “ Attention has frequently been directed in this column to th© absurd prchi bition by New Zealand of New Sent Wales grapes, ostensibly for fear a phylloxera, which made its in this Stat'e about sixteen year. ‘ c v | but is now practically non-cxis' ' any case, tho best authority , opinion that the insect cair" ■ ‘ f riecl on the fruit, while /“o course already more phyl* has Zealand New &o’ Tho effect has be bed her. for pound in the Woi f i tou when el . I, Supplied, and range most fu J{,ther times. Mr Shall. c " of one of. the lead- ? rass ,! _ I '. Cl)r f S ruit agents of Wellington, ing firms o. Q a i rneS; president of tho inrermo Progress Association, this X a ramar w j ien j fc ras re p or t e d, wee ryi authority, that tho Fedeon, o pninission, which had been ap- . .cl by tho New Zealand Gevernpolf to report on federation matters, ready t,o report in favour of the "cire removal of the useless regula-

'.lion.. This will be good news for the 'vignerons of this State, though, of course, they will have to wait for the better part of a year before it will be of any benefit to them. Unfortunately, nothing has been heard of any prospect of similar action on tho part of West Australia with regard to, citrus fruit, and it is not likely anything will be done in time for the main orange crop. The matter was brought before the Parramatta Progress ‘Association this week, in the hope that it might be as successful in its agitation ag it was with regard to Now Zealand, and similar action -will be taken. In tho meantime, there aro Perth buyers now in Sydney ready to pay cash for thousands of cases as soon as they aro ready to pull. The new 00-oporativo society has such matters down amongst its objects, but it will probably not be able to tak© any action in this direption for some months and there is, of course, no time to spare.” With reference to th© foregoing, the Minister of Lands said yesterday that th© statement as to the prevalence of phylloxera in New Zealand was quite erroneous. Mr Duncan pointed cut that continuous and effective stops had been taken to stamp out the pest here, and that it now existed in this colony only to a very limited extent.