POTATOES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13980, 16 August 1909, Page 3

POTATOES.

BEWARE OF TASMANIA. Mr T. Buxton, as M.P. for Geraldine, has beeu in communication with the Hon. T. McKenzie, Minister for Agriculture, urging that the Government should do all they can to prevent the importation to New Zealand of Tasmanian potatoes .for fear of introducing another disease, worse than the Irish blight. There are diseases enough here already without knowingly addiug to their number. That is Mr Buxton's standpoint, and he told a "Herald" representative on Saturday that in his opinion the eel-worm, now infesting Tasmania, is a worse pest than the bacterial blights, because it attacks other underground crops. Mr Buxton had secured a telegram from the Minister:—•• in reply to your telegram, precaution is being taken by the Department in regard to Tasmauiaii potatoes.'' T It was necessary, said Mr Buxton, to make sure that precautions were being taken. The law provides For inspection and condemnation of diseased or infected potatoes, but in the absence of special instructions it is j«>ssiblc that the inspection would not be so' keen as it ought to be. Tasmatiians are blocked in other Australian States, and if they thought they could get their surplus sold at even very low prices in New Zealand, they would rush them over here. Australia shut nut New Zealand potatoes absolutely, no matter what length or strength of Government graders' certificates of soundness might be given them, and New Zealand must protect herself from invasion by potato" diseases as determinedly. Irish blight and brown rust have got a footing" here, but Mr Buxton fears that the eef-w- -n would prove worse than either. On point he referred to the following paragraph in Saturday's " Press " :—" Mr W". E. Goodwin, of

Halswcll, an experienced potato grower who was m Tasmania last October told a number of farmers there that their potatoes were affected with Iri*h blight, the same as <in New Zealand His opinion was taken strong exception to, but the investigations made this season have proved that lie was correct. The disease will probably run its course there, as it appears 'to be doing in i\ew Zealand. Mr Goodwin was also shown the effects of the eel worm which also attacks onion crops and he considers it worse than the Wight, as no remedies have vet been found tor it, As seed potatoes are sometimes imported from Tasmania there ls need for care that this pest is not introduced into Ximv Zealand "