DISEASE IN ORCHARDS.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 October 1922, Page 5

DISEASE IN ORCHARDS.

AUCKLAND CLAIM CONTINUED. EVIDENCE OF PLAINTIFF By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. The ca*e under the Orchard and Garden ’Diseases Act, 1908, in which George Herbert Guy, a linotypist, and the owner of an orchard at Henderson, sued John W. Collard, inspector of orchards at Auckland, was continued in the Supreme Court to-day. Plaintiff claimed that between February 17 and March, 1922, defendant wrongfully cut down 175 fruit trees in his orchard, and therefore diminished the value of the land by not less than £4OO, for which amount and £5O general damages judgment was sought. Mr. Johnston, for the plaintiff, said the evidence would show that only one disease existed in the orchard, and that was codlin moth. If there were other diseases, as suggested, they must have been present in negligible quantities and not such as would justify the destruction of the trees. Guy had, from the time he acquired the orchard in 1919, employed labor and spent money cn the place and in two seasons he had spent upward of £lOO in draining, ploughing, spraying and genet ally improving the orchard. Plaintiff gave evidence on the lines of counsel’s address. Wb.pn ho received the first notice from the department work wa£ going on on the place. Receiving another notice in 1921 he undertook to spray and in January last the work was done to a certain extent. This spraying continued until the day before the department’s officers called to cut down certain trees. He had assured the department that none of the fruit would be sold owing to the disease in the orchard. Two-thirds of the apple trees were cut down. Inspector Collard subsequently said the destruction was for codlin moth. The case waft adjourned.