PROTEST FROM, NELSON. ELSON, June 5.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 271, 9 June 1888, Page 6

PROTEST FROM, NELSON. ELSON, June 5.

The Fruitgrowers' Association have unani mously passed the following resolution : " That the method of dealing with the codlin moth embodied in the Bill now before the Council will be expensive, burdensome, and useless, as not being founded upon complete or accurate knowledge of evil to be remedied and not providing any effective remedy, and therefore it ia not desirable that the JBill should pass.'' Auckland, May 28. A lakge meeting of Birkenhead residents was held in the Zion Hall on Saturday evening, under the auspices of the Birkenhead and Northcote Fruitgrowers' Association, for the purpose of considering the Codlin Moth Bill. Mr F. Porter, senior, occupied the chair. The Secretary read a paper on the subject under notice irom the pen of Mr H. J. Hawkins. It was pointed out that the presence of the codlin moth had not diminished the fruit supply, the local market having been more abundantly supplied during this season than ever previously. Consignments of good sound fruit from distant partrf did not in many cases realise £>uftieienb to pay cost of packing and carriage, and yet it was proposed to impose a heavy tax on the unfortunate growers. It was never thought advisable to legislate upon the codlin moth in England or the Northern States of America, and the writer hoped that fruitgrower both North and South of Auckland ' would strenuously oppose so obnoxious and , unjust an act in New Zealand by inundating ' the Upper House with petitions against it. j Mr W. Thomson said he thought they were working in tho dark, not having had tho opportunity of having btudied the Act. Mr A. Wilson, senior, said that he was convinced that the pest would continue its ravages, notwithstanding the imposition of heavy taxes and the appointment of inspectors to examine orchaid«. It was eventually resolved that the Fruitgrowers Association instruct Mr Button to telegraph to the Parliamentary representative of the district with the object of getting the Bill delayed. A desire was also expressed for co-opera-tion by the Auckland districts, and it has resolved to adjourn till June 2nd for furtercon&ideration of the subject. A meeting of fruit groweis and others in. terested in the Codlin Moth Bill was held at- the Zion Hill Schoolroom, Birkenhead, on Saturday evening last. There were about 40 persons present, and Mr Porter was voted to the chair. Mr Parrish pointed out that the Act taxed two-year-old trees, while it was not unusual for growers to keep their trees from bearing for four years. Mr Thompson said that by the 18th section of the Bill, local bodies were intrusted with power to make regulations on the subject, and he did not see any necessity for a ta\ if the i emulations were implicitly carlied out by orchardists. Some discussion iollowed a& to the appointment ot inspectors, and whether it would be illegal to pay for inspection out of borough funds. The Rev. A. McCallum thought that the Bill was. one of tine most atro cions pieces of blundering ever heard ot. Otic person in any district had only to complain, lightly or wrongly, that the orchaid ot any fruit-grower was intected with tho moth, to cause ruin to that orchardiat. He was sure that the tax would increase to a penny, for a tax of a halfpenny on trees would not yield £200 or £300. The district of Birkenhead would be a fruit-growing district, and to make the industiy pay a man would have to plant'2,oooor3,oootrees. These ticcs would not bear until they were -e\en or eight years old, and yet the grower would ha%e to pay tor them during all the years they wcie non - bearing. Re thought that it the fruit-growers were left alone, they would, for their own sakes, keep their orchards clean. He moved, " That a Committee be appointed to draw up a petition to the Upper House, earnestly protesting against the passing of the Codlin Moth Bill in its present form." (Applause.) Mr Jones seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. The Rev. Mr McCallum and Messrs Wilson, Hawkins, senior, Hawkins, junior, Jones and the Chairman were appointed a committee for this purpose, and Mr Whiteman was appointed to canvass the district for signatures to the petition.