DANGER FROM HONEY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 42, 26 January 1943, Page 6

DANGER FROM HONEY

OBJECTS OF APIARIES ACT

CONTROL OF DISEASE

It has long been recognised that the diseases oi' bees, besides being a serious matter to beekeepers, cause much loss to other members of the farming' community The honey-bee is perhaps the insect which accomplishes more than any other—the successful pollination of flowers so necessary for the proper production' of fruit and seeds. It is an indispensable ally of the orcliardist, gardener and farmer. The beekeeper who give? his bees proper attention is a benefactor to his "neighbours, since he fills gardens, orchards and fields with willing workers; but, as he lias no control over the flight of. his bees, he, musii run the risk of their contracting infectious disease unless all the other beekeepers in the neighbourhood cooperate. Without efficient organisation and a widespread knowledge of the destructive nature of the disease affecting bees, it is difficult for even an efficient beekeeper to carrj* on successfully over a long period. He cannot take precautions against his neighbours' carelessnessHis is a long battle unless the State gives him legal protection. The Apiaries Act, as its name suggests, aims at consolidating and amending the law relating to the industry in New Zealand. Hn addition to the machinery clauses, the Act provides for the compulsory registration of apiaries, forbids the. keeping of, bees in box hives, and eomjpels the cure or destruction of all diseased bees and. their hives. It also prohibits the removal of bees and apiaries without a permit, treats the exposure of lionqy, wax, and. materials from diseased hives as an offence, and requires beekeepers to notify the Inspector of the

presence of disease within seven days alter its discovery. Section 5 of tlie Act deals with the registration of apiaries, and requires that no person shall keep bees except in an apiary registered under the Act. In addition, it makes any person keeping unregistered hives, or allowing them to be kept on his 'land, liable to a fine of £20. This compulsory registration provides the Inspector with a complete list of the beekeepers in his district —an immense help in carrying" out inspectional work. The provision that the keeping of bees in box hives is a breach of the law proclaims itself a wise measure. Only by providing the bees with movable combs can the beekeeper hope to keep a check on the condition of his colonies. Movable frames allow him to examine his hives easily, and to note at a glance the condition of brood, queen, and foodsupply. No one can judge of. tliesvi matters by merely looking at the entrances. Subclause (3) of this section is an important one, and should be. known to every householder, as it provides for a penalty of £20 for allowing bees that may have become established in any other than a frame hive to remain after notice to remove hem has been issued by an Inspector. Bees that have taken up their abode in houses, sheds, or other irregular shelters, must be removed, or destroyed.

Another important section of the Act deals with the moving of bees and appliances from one location to another. No colonies miay be removed without the written consent of an Inspector. This precaution is taken for the purpose of transfer of diseased bees to the neighbourhood of clean apiaries. A further clause in the Act lias reference to persons dealing in diseased bees and materials, or who expose hone}', wax, combs, or appliances taken from infected hives or used in conncction therewith, in such a manner that bees may gain access to such material. Until these materials have been thoroughly sterilised by approved methods they must be kept secure from the bees. Neglect of this precaution renders the offenders liable to a fine of £50. No fine could be too heavy for this class of offender, for he may put a neighbouring beekeeper to endless trouble and expense through his negligence. The most serious disease, foulbrood, is such that any person of reasonable intelligence can usually detect it, and when there is any doni>! <"i : .e matter an hour or two w'th an Inspector should be suil'icient to give the. beekeeper .enough kne of' the trouble and its i*t to ensure his success in eradicating it. Any person who is

properly informed on up-to-date methods of beekeeping should be able to handle this disease. The aim of the Department of Agriculture is to make every beekeeper competent, to handle the everyday problems with which ho is confronted. This it hopes to do, not by force, but by spreading useful knowledge whereve it is. most needed. The Act provides the authority for dealing with the many important matters, and enables the Government to employ experienced officers to undertake any necessary enforcement. It is obvious, however, that the administration cannot hope to successfully cope with, the immense amount of work —for financial reasons alone —without the reasonable co-operation of all owners of bees. The apiary officer of the Department is. not a law enforcer until he is compelled to act as such, but is primarily an Instructor. It is preferable" for all concerned that his services should be. mainly utilised in the latter capacity.