FIREBLIGHT MENAGE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10847, 12 March 1921, Page 6

FIREBLIGHT MENAGE

DEPUTATION TO PKEAIIER.

DESTRUCTION OF HAWTHORN.

Mr Longton (president). Air George A. Green (secretary of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Association), and Mr FT. paltridge (president of the Central Fireblight Committee, Auckland), wore the spokesmen of a deputation which waited upon the Prime Minister (Mr Massey) and the Minister for Agriculture (the Hon. W. Noeworthy) yesterday to urge the Government to take vigorous measures to stamp out fireblight, and to provide compensation for those whose trees were destroyed in the process. The Hon. C. J. Parr, as member for Eden, introduced the deputation. The speakers represented the great gravity of the fireblight menace, and stated that the destruction of the hawthorn, as one of the principal agents in Die transmission of the disease was imperative. Mr Nosworthy asked the deputation to state the exact lines on which they wanted the Government to act.

Air Massey said that the Governunent was just as anxious as the fruitgrowers themselves to stamp out the pest. It- would mean trouble, and a certain amount of expense; but he hoped # to be able to provide a means for keeping the disease in check. Be was not going into the matter of the destruction of hawthorn, but a remedy would have to be provided. _ They must, if possible, however, avoid putting a penalty upon the farmer whe did not cut down the hawthorn. On his suggestion, the members of the deputation went into private conference with the Minister for Agriculture and Dr Reabes (Director-General of the Agricultural Department) as to the line of action they wanted the Govern ment to take.