PLANT PESTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 170, 8 October 1927, Page 5

PLANT PESTS

CHECK ON IMPORTATION # LEGISLATION INTRODUCED (THE SUN'S Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Friday. In conformity with the general movement toward tlie tightening up on imported pests the Government has drafted legislation calculated to control the importation of plants which might be infected with disease and later spread throughout the country. The introduction of the Plants Bill, which was introduced into the House of Representatives, and read the first time to-day is calculated to effect this desire and embraces provisions governing prohibited plants and plants accidentally imported into New Zealand. It calls upon the recipient of a pro-

hibited plant to destroy it by fire, and in cases of a breach of the Act a fine not exceeding £SO is fixed. It is the Ministerial view that this will provide much-needed control of plant diseases, which frequently are imported accidentally in ships among seeds and in the plants themselves, and bring this j legislation into line with that now’ exi isting for the importation of animals, ' birds, reptiles and insects, j This Bill does not affect operations lof the Orchard and Garden Diseases ' Act, 1908, and a permit is not required for potatoes, wheat, roses or chrysanthemums, as other varieties of these already grow here.