IMPORTATION OF BORER

Taranaki Daily News, 24 July 1930, Page 11

IMPORTATION OF BORER

MENACE TO STATE FORESTS

questions asked in house.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night Mr. W. E. Barnard asked the Minister of Customs in the House of Representatives to-day whether the Government would take, immediate steps to prohibit any further importation of horer-.infested or borer-affected timber. '‘lt is reported,” he said, “that an appreciable quantity of Pacific Coast timber landed on July 20 at Napier from the Waihemo was very badly affected by the borer. Further, that as 71 per cent of New Zealand’s forest and timber insects have been introduced from abroad, grave concern is felt for the future of the remaining indigenous forests and the huge areas of plantations If no measures are taken to check t unrestricted introduction of further injurious wood and forest , J The Minister, the Hon. G. W. Foibc ®j said he had received-from Mr. Barnaul a sample of wood affected by the boie and he had sent it to the Forestry Department for a report. As soon as he had received the report he would be able to decide what action to take. No doubt it would be necessary to take some steps if it was shown that borer was present in the wood. Complaints were made by Messrs G. C. Black and E. F. Healey against the conditions at the Golden Downs State ■Forestry plantation. The Minister in charge of the Forestry Department, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, said the camp had recently been .inspected by a representative of the Health Department, who had reported that the conditions were satisfactory. Complaints had evidently been made by men who were not used to country life were not adapted to it.