Hawke's Bay Times, PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY AND THURSDAY. THURSDAY, 14th FEBRUARY, 1867. TOE PEST AND ITS REMEDY.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume IX, Issue 453, 14 February 1867, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times, PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY AND THURSDAY.

THURSDAY, 14th FEBRUARY, 1867. TOE PEST AND ITS REMEDY.

“ Nullius addiciuaj'urate in verba mojiairi."

1 Cateepilars and locusts seem to have - increased in numbers, and spread over j the country to a degree that has be- j come quite alarming to the agricul- | turists. From ail parts of the Province loud complaints reach us of the ; ravages of these destructive creatures, , and the same is the case generally ( throughout the islands. Fully onehalf of the growiug crops are in many . instances destroyed ; and, as a rule, t one-third may be put down as the * average destruction already effected, i and we are asked what is to be done ? 1

The question is, one that must be met, but it is one of great difficulty It is probably too late this season to take any effectual steps in the matter, the mischief being already done ; but we are informed that where a flock of •urkeys are kept, the locusts and grasshoppers are very much kept| under—so much so indeed, that a{ most striking difference is observable, and one that could hardly be believed by persons who have not bad an opportunity of seeing it, in the neighborhood where a few turkeys are kept, and immediately beyond their range. It seems undeniable that the existence of this and similar scourges are almost entirely owing to the absence of small birds from this country, and that the true remedy is to be found in the plentiful importation and acclimatization of such birds amongst us. We believe that there is now no need, or not so much as formerly, for the risk attending the direct importation of birds from the mother country, as they have already been naturalised in the neighbouring colonies, from which, at comparatively trifling expense and risk, they may be obtained, and If protected for two or three seasons would become

a permanent acquisition to New Zealand. It is cheering to know that Acclimatization Societies in some of the other Provinces have taken the matter up and promise work, but we trust that Hawke’s Bay will not be behind her sister Provinces in a proceeding of such importance, but will perform her share of the task.

Meantime we cannot do better than

advise those of our correspondents who have written to us on the subject, and ail others, to keen a pood Sock of turkeys, and &uow them full range ofj the land subject to the pests of locusts,! grasshoppers, and caterpilars. 1

THE NEWS FROM TAURANGA. By the arrival of the schooner 5 Meteor,’ on Tuesday last, from Auckland, we have one day’s later papers from that city, and for which we have to thank Captain Jones. The most important news contained in the papers to hand is that of the commencement vi hostilities at Tauranga. The ac-j count is very meagre, but such as it I is it will be found elsewhere. NON-ARRIVAL OF THE ‘ PHCEBE.’ We have delayed the publication of the ‘Times’ this morning in the hope of presenting our readers with later news from the seat of war. In this, however, we have been disappointed, as, up to this time (ten a.m.) the s.s. ‘ Phoebe,’ due yesterday from Tauranga and Auckland, has not been signalled from the signal station at the barracks.