EDITORIAL JOTTINGS.

Thames Star, Volume XLV, Issue 10616, 16 January 1909, Page 2

EDITORIAL JOTTINGS.

Fruitgrowers will be relieved to know tiuat tiie Biological Divis-on. of the Department of Agriculture has absolutely failed to discover any trace of the fruit fly this season, (says a Wellington corespondent.). Careful investigation made of early fruits iv the localities where: infection, took (place 'las* season, hm disposed no .indication, whatever of its existence. This proves dearly that the prompt steps taken by the Department to prevent the spread of the fiv wero thoroughly effective. Fruit pests in general are toeing well controlled, gjrprwiers /realising thait it is to their .interests to co-operate with the D!«parttmienit In. this necessary work. In combination witbj 'the satisfactory control of fruit peats, there is « giratifyinig advance in the style of marketing fruit, mnd getnarally an adoptjoni of more up-to-date methods of conducting the industry.

(Ait the next meetinig of the Senate cf the flNjewi Zealand "University, which will open in Auckland next Wednesday, a petition will be presented, praying thfflit " thJe' Maori -■ languiaige ejhtonild- be - jncluidied as mi optional sulbect -n the matriculation examination, and imay be l^^nged a» a. modera language for the purpose of the medical■ prellmiiniary exairrninationi. The object of this •petition: is to afford facilities to the 'Maori student® who desire to enter the University 'by allowing 1 them! to take advaintage. of 'their" 'kinowledge of theiir own. larguage. As matters now stand, the Maori candidate for -matriouilaifcion if at a disaidvaintajge as oomipared with a Frenchmian cor a, G-enimji resident here, m «ptiher of those may cboosc bis own l«itiguiage as a subject:; amd| he is also at a ■di'.sadvamit'age as compared with a. Zulu, or a Hindu, or n /Fireindh! Cianiad'iajn, -all of whom. ;in other portions of the Empire may use the;r own, speech as a subject for University entrance examinations. i