FIRE BLIGHT CAMPAIGN

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14601, 28 February 1921, Page 4

FIRE BLIGHT CAMPAIGN

The Waikato dairy farmers, not unnaturally, are up In arms because of the drastic demands made upon them by the Government in connection with the anti-fire blight campaign. These demands entail the expenditure of much labour, considerable monetary loss, an.l the destruction of immense areas of shelter belts on numerous farms —belts which could not lie replaced for many years, ami tiie value of which to the dairyman it is impossible to estimate. This work has to be accomplished by March 30 —extended as an act of grace !o July next—the alternative being a fine of £2O, which, apparently, can be inflicted many times if the order is not complied with. At the Cambridge meeting Messrs Paynter and Cunningham, State exports, delivered addresses in which they strongly emphasised the seriousness of the fireblight outbreak ami the need for urgent action to prevail its spread: ami there will lie no division uf opinion concerning these matters by those who are at. all conversant with the nature of the disease. There will, however, be much divergence concerning the department's method of dealing with it. both on the score of eflicfency and of common justice. It was admitted by the officials l'ia| the aim of the departmenl was mil primaril) II liservalion oT Hie interests of (he Waikato fruit men. whoso number is nol legion, bul of those far removed, and it was further admitle 1 that Ihe disease is spread by bees and other insects, and as it is impossible to control the movements of these, the futility of tii,. Uovernment's scheme should be apparent, whilst, the absurdity

of culling down shelter hells here to save the orchards of Ilawke's Bay should appeal even to the official mind. Mr Paynter disclaimed any ijesponsibility -for (.he proposal, which lie said belonged to the Minister and his department. The scheme seems I" us to

savour of panic The effect of the demands has nol been fully considered, whilst their efficiency in securing the end soujblil is open to very grave doubt. P evidentlj is another nf those cases where' officialdom, realising that II is confronted with a serious problem, and one nil which it is expected to take action, has got busy in the wrong direction. It was admitted by the exports ,it the meeting on Friday that "the great neutral /one between Waikato ani Ilawke's .May and Wellington and Tarannki should he sufficient to prevent the spread of the disease, provided no person wilfully conveyed infection to those parts." In the face or that admission, where is the wisdom of launching on a campaign of destruction here? Wc possibly have the disease In our midst, and if it is, and if "what the experts say is '.correct, we must regard as complacently as we can the ultimate loss of our orchards, but why should our farmers be railed upon tn Incur expenditure an I less, and to deetroj a paramount neces-

I slty on their farms on the pica that It may possibly benefit some settler* many miles away, but who Hie State experts admi| can be safeguarded in other ways by the exercise of caution nnd care? We hope that the Minister o." Agriculture will lose no time In visiting the district to see for himself the magnitude of the task his officials have •se* the settlers, in which case we believe little time will elapse ere th-i obnoxious notices are cancelled, especially as it is admitted that the work, K carried out, has very slender prospects of securing the object sought.