INSECT PESTS

Hokitika Guardian, 30 November 1927, Page 3

INSECT PESTS

INVESTIGATION IN AUSTRALIA

DR TILL YARD’S APPOINTMENT.

SYDNEY, Nov. 17

To one of New Zealand’s most brilliant scientific investigators Australia has held out a plum which lie could not refuse to accept. But probably in accepting,, the scientist- had in mind no so much the financial emolument of his new post, as the chance it will afford him of doing notable scientific u ork.

The scientist is l)r R. J. Tillyard. assistant-director of the Cawthron Institute, Nelson. He has accepted an offer by the Commonwealth Government at £2OOO a year to take charge of the entomological investigations of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. In making this announcement during the week, the Prime Minister (Mr Bruce) expressed gratification at having obtained for the Commonwealth the services of such an eminent authority. “It has been estimated.” said Mr Bruce, “that, on the average 10 per cent of the vegetable foodstuffs cultivated in the world is lost each year as a result of the depredations of insect pests. In Australia the toll levied on the pastoral industry by sheep blowflies amounts to £4,000.000 in a 'had year. The buffalo fly is a serious menace to our i attle industry. There are many other insects such as tlirip, lucerne flea, the grass grub, codlin moth and various aphides, which cause enormous losses to our agriculture and horticulture industries. To wage war on all these the Government decided to secure the services of the highest scientific authority available and its choice fell upon Dr Tillyard.” Dr Tillyard lias been in Australia for several weeks and he has already submitted several reports concerning the posts of this country. He will return to New Zealand shortly, and will not take up his duties permanently here until after March 31st next. Ihi" work to he undertaken will tie of two main kinds. One will lie research on the control of inspect pests by means of their natural enemies. r l lie other will he research in Urn control of noxious weeds by the introduction ol insects which destroy them. The work of destroying the millions of acres overrun with prickly pear in Queensland and New South Wales is already achieving results and this is quoted as an excellent example ol the iiiaiutei in which Dr Tillyard and a hand of enthusiastic scientists lie will gathei around him will he able to help the primary producers of this country and through them tlie whole community.