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49. Are you aware that there was a meeting of the fruit-growers of Nelson to protest against the passing of this Bill ?—Yes, I was told that there was a meeting, but I was at Motueka, and was not able to get back in time to attend it. 50. And that they were unanimous in their opinion with regard to the Bill'?— Yes ; but there were not many persons connected with growing fruit for commercial purposes present—in fact, I hear that it resolved itself into a sort of political meeting. 51. Was it not a public meeting called in the usual way ? —lt was advertised. Mr. Piper called the meeting. 52. How many were there present ? —I do not know ; but there was no one from the Bay, which is the principal fruit-growing district of Nelson. 53. Do you know the opinion of the fruit-growers as far as Mr. Blackmore is concerned?—l do. 54. You can speak for the Nelson fruit-growers on that point ?—Yes; they want Mr. Blackmore back there. They want him to settle in the district, if the Government will only allow it. They think a great deal of him and of the information he has imparted. 55. I think you say the codlin-moth can be cured ?—Yes. 56. And it is to be found throughout the Nelson District ?—Yes. 57. And do you think that the Nelson fruit-growers are so blind to their own interests that they will not take the necessary steps to get rid of it ?—Well, if you had an orchard and wanted to make a livelihood out of it you would do all you could to keep the pest down; but if you have a neighbour with a dozen or half a dozen trees who does not think it worth his while to do anything— not even to syringe his trees —he is simply breeding the blight to stock your orchard, and you cannot help it. 58. I understand the fruit-growers are not taking these steps ?—They are in the part of the district where the fruit is grown for commercial purposes, and where people are making a livelihood out of it. 59. Are there many fruit-growers in the Nelson Province who spray their trees regularly twice a year with arsenic, and so on ?—I do not take as much interest in apple-growing as Ido in plums and raspberries, and strawberries and other small fruit. 60. I want to know what steps are taken by the Nelson fruit-growers to keep the codlin-moth down ?—They are using remedies. Mr. Blackmore recommended them to use a special pump called a beam spray-pump. I wrote to California about it, and some of the fruit-growers over in Nelson want to get this pump, so as to use it in spraying. They are taking a lot of interest in spraying. 61. You mentioned a certain portion of the district where there are many commercial fruitgrowers. Do they keep it down ? —They are endeavouring to do so. 62. Have they been successful ? —Yes ; they are able to get a hundred clean fruit from a tree now where they were only able to get one some time ago. 63. As far as you are personally concerned, you have had no experience in keeping the codlinmoth down ? —No, because it was no use ; the boys stole the apples. 64. So that your evidence is given more from what other people have told you ?—Yes ; but I have been in every orchard in the district and saw what was going on. 65. Then, your own practical experience has not taught you anything?—Of course, I had only a few trees, and the boys stole the apples off them, not only taking the apples but breaking the branches off. 66. You mentioned other pests besides the codlin-moth—the leach and the scale : are these mentioned in the schedule to the Bill ?—I think so. lam not sure. The apple-scab is mentioned, and the codlin-moth and the San Jose scale. 67. Which scale do you speak of ? —The apple-scale. 68. That is not mentioned in the schedule?—lt is called the apple-scab; I believe that is the same thing. 69. Would you be in favour of adding other scales to the schedule ?—Yes ; the apple-scale and the leach most certainly. 70. Hon. Mr. Bichardson.] Talking about the climatic effect upon these pests, is it not a fact that in Nelson you have very severe frosts sometimes at night during the season ?—lt depends upon what you call a severe frost. I have never seen ice more than a quarter of an inch thick on the water there, whereas in America you cannot go outside the door sometimes without fear of being frost-bitten. There is a great difference in degrees of frost. 71. Are not the frosts in Nelson sufficient to kill a great portion of the blight?—No, I do not think so, because they do not sink deep into the ground. 72. My reason for asking is that I understand from my son, who is living there, that this year the ground has been covered with hard frost, and that they had water in jugs inside the house frozen. —We certainly have had more frost this season than I have seen since I have been there, but, still, having had experience of America and Home winters, I do not call the Nelson frosts very hard. The water in a pool might have a little ice on it, but that is all. 73. Mr. Meredith.] How long is it since the Nelson Fruit-growers' Association broke up?— Speaking from memory, I should say it was about six or eight years. 74. Since that no association has existed to your knowledge ?—No. I was a member of the old association, and paid my subscription as long as it lasted. 75. You are the Kirkpatrick of Nelson ?—Yes. 76. Are you able to procure sufficient fruit in Nelson to meet the requirements of your industry ?—No. 77. You import largely ?—No; Ido without it. I am putting up a building now in Nelson which will cover three-quarters of an acre, on one floor, and that will show you the faith I have in fruit-growing. I hope to have it finished in November. 78. Is your home industry expanding ?—Yes, B—l. Ba,