The Codlin Moth Bill

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 40, 20 September 1892, Page 4

The Codlin Moth Bill

The long-promised Codlin Moth Bill ot the Minister for Lands has been circulated at last. It provides that the importation of fruit or fruit trees from countries infected by codlin moth, mussel scale, woolly aphis, shot-hole fungus, peach curl, oidium, black spot, grape vine rootlouse, red spider, cherry and pear leaf-slug, ana scab shell be prohibited. The Bill applies to all these pests, as wall as to that which gives the title. Any district may be proclaimed a fruit district, and, it declared infected, cannot be again declared clean until twelve months after the issue of a clean certificate. The fruit growers of every fruit district are to appoint five of their number to be a District Board, to hold office for periods of two years. The Board may appoint a secretary, collector, treasurer, and inspectors, but the offices of collector and treasurer must not be held by the same person. The Governor-in-Council may make regulations for imposing and collecting contributions, the times at which infected orchards must be bandaged, dressed, &c, the manner in which infected fruit shall be destroyed, and receptacles for fruit cleansed, and for the destruction offruitpests, apenalty not exceeding £5 being provided. Inspectors are empowered to enter all orchards or other places whese there are fruit or fruit trees, and examine all packages, etc. Orcnardists are required to send m an annual return as to the condition of their orchards. A Board is empowered to impose an annual contribution of not more than two shillings per half-acre. Infected nu rs-erieß may be quarantined, and diseased trees may be required to be destroyed in any nursery or orchard. Penalties are proyided for conveying iniected fruit. Ihe Codlin Moth Act, 1884, is to be repealed,