61

I.—Ba

possible. Fermentation would set in unless the pulp was heavily sulphurised, and you could not make good cider with pulp so treated. Latterly, I understand that Fletcher and Humphreys, who take our fruit-juice from the Canterbury orchards to manufacture cider, have started a branch in Auckland, and they buy the Auckland fruit, and partly manufacture the cider there. 45. Then it would not be practicable to bring the pulp down from Auckland ?—I do not think so. Amendments suggested in certain Clauses of the Bill by Mr. Wilding. Clause 8. Any Inspector, or other person authorised by an Inspector, may at any time enter on and remain on any orchard for the purpose of inspecting any plants therein, and shall have free right of ingress, egress, and regress with, over, and across such orchard for such purpose. 9. Any Inspector may give to any one or more of the owners of an orchard in which the Inspector believes there are plants infected with any disease named in either Schedule A or B hereto notice in writing to the effect set forth in Schedule C hereto, requiring such owner, within seven days after the service of such notice, to take such steps to eradicate and prevent the spread of such disease as the Inspector in his discretion shall think necessary and shall specify in such notice. 10. If within seven days after the giving of such notice such one or more of the owners to whom the same is given do not commence to do all such acts, deeds, matters, and things as the Inspector shall think necessary for the purpose of eradicating and preventing the spread of such disease, and shall have specified in the said notice in the shortest time possible, and having so commenced do not continue such action with all reasonable diligence to the satisfaction of such Inspector, each one of the owners to whom such notice shall have been given shall be liable to a penalty of not less than one pound nor more than twenty pounds. 11. After the expiration of one month from the date of a conviction under the preceding section, if any disease shall, in the opinion of the Inspector, still continue to exist in the plants in the said orchard, and the owner so convicted shall, in the opinion of the Inspector, have failed to have taken all proper measures with reasonable diligence to eradicate and prevent the spread of disease, the owner so convicted shall be liable to a further penalty of not less than five pounds nor more than twenty pounds, and so on for each succeeding period of one month during which such owner shall fail or neglect to take or to continue luch action as the Inspector may have prescribed in the said notice. 12. If any owner to whom any such notice shall have been given shall neglect or fail to comply with any such notice, then, in addition to or in lieu of proceedings for recovery of a penalty as aforesaid, any Inspector, or any person authorised by an Inspector, may enter upon such orchard and use all such means, and take all such measures, and do and perform all such acts and things, as to him may appear proper or necessary to be done to eradicate and prevent the spread of any disease, and the total cost, charges, and expenses of all work, and all things so done by or by the authority of the Inspector, shall be immediately recoverable by the Inspector as a debt due to the Crown. Schedule C.—Notice under Section : To [Name of person or body to whom notice addressed] , of [Address']. Take notice that I, the undersigned, an Inspector under the above Act, pursuant to the provisions of the said Act, hereby notify you that I believe certain of the plants—to wit (Here specify the trees or plants referred to) —in your orchard at (Here describe locality of orchard) are infected with (Here name disease), and I hereby require you forthwith to take the following measures to eradicate and prevent the spread of such disease (Here specify steps to be taken). Dated at , this , day of 189 . Inspector. N.B. —Your attention is directed to the clauses of the said Act printed on the back hereof. On neglect or failure to comply with this notice, in addition to the penalties prescribed by these sections, the eradication and preventing of the said disease may be effected by the Government at your expense. Mr. F. Sissons, examined. 46. Hon. the Chairman.] What is your profession ?—A fruit-grower. 47. Where do you reside?—At Papanui. 48. Would you kindly tell the Committee what experience you have had in fruit-culture ?—I have been growing fruit for thirty-five years in this colony, and I also had experience at Home. Of course, I find, as Mr. Wilding said, that high cultivation is best. I always prune my trees, and keep them highly cultivated. I do not use horse-labour, but do all by hand, and I believe the results are satisfactory and will continue to be so. 49. What kinds of fruit do you grow? —Apples, pears, cherries, and plums chiefly, and a few peaches, but not many. 50. What is the size of your orchard ?—About thirty acres. 51. Will you tell us what kinds of pests you had had to deal with, and how you have dealt with them ?—I have had the scale and the American blight for a number of years, and also the red spider, but I have always managed to keep them down. My fruit fetches the best prices, and lam satisfied with that. ■ 52. With the codlin-moth has your experience been the same as Mr. Wilding's ?—I have had no experience with the codlin-moth in this country, but I have known it a little in the Old Country, where the natural enemies keep it down. 53. What are they ?—The cuckoo is the principal one. Wherever you hear the cuckoo in au orchard you may be sure that the codlin-moth is there. They keep it down wonderfully.