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and I believe the simplest way to make the growers of apples do something with regard to the codlin-moth would be to pass legislation making their fruit liable to confiscation—that is, for diseased fruit sent into market. If a Bill was passed to enable the Government, through their Inspectors in the various towns, to have all diseased fruit confiscated or made liable to forfeiture it would be quite sufficient to make growers of apples clean their orchards, or consume their apples at home. But I certainly do not approve of the principle of allowing any fruit - grower to pack up diseased fruit and ship it all over the colony. I may state in my own district, in the newly settled parts, they are quite clean yet, but the moth is found in the old-settled districts, twenty miles back. In the new districts they have no moth as yet. It is only a question of time, of course; but if the growers of apples are permitted to send their codlin-moth fruit into the market all over the colony, well, of course, this measure will be useless; it would be useless to attempt to check it at all. I would suggest to the Committee and the Agricultural Department the simplest way, in my opinion, would be merely to take sufficient power in the Bill to enable the Government, through their Inspectors, to have all diseased fruit exposed for sale forfeited. We do not want any heavy fines or penalties :if the growers found the fruit was liable to be forfeited they would not send it to market. Then, in reference to the phylloxera pest, I think the Government should retain the power they have now—to take measures to stamp it out. The Whangarei district has been carefully examined, and, with half a dozen exceptions, every vinery has got phylloxera—in fact, the whole district is rotten with it. Steps have been taken to ascertain the extent of the disease, proclamations have been issued, but there the matter has stopped. What the intentions of the Government are Ido not know, but no action has been taken as yet to eradicate the disease. Many of the vines have been destroyed, and the result is that the district is in a very serious condition, for many of the people depend upon the crops for their livelihood. And those which are clean will take the disease unless the others are destroyed. In the meantime their vineyards are proclaimed as infected, but no steps are being taken to eradicate the disease. 62. lion, the Chairman.] In many cases ?—ln dozens of cases. Nearly the whole district, with very few exceptions, and I should not wonder that on a more rigorous examination even those would be found affected. I had a very small vineyard. Some years ago it was inspected, and declared clean. At that time there was not more than three or four places affected in the whole district. During the last two years I noticed that the vines got sickly-looking, and I began to suspect that the disease was there. A short time ago I got a man acting for the Government to examine them. We commenced to examine the vines on the side of the vinery that showed most symptoms of disease. We examined the roots of every vine along that side of the vinery, but could find no insect. Strange to say —I am speaking now as an amateur —the roots had a sort of dried-up look about them, winch aroused my suspicions, but we could find no living insects. Then I called his attention to a very healthy-looking vine, and the first root we took up we found covered with the insect. I came to the conclusion that the insects had been on the roots of the others and extracted all the sap. Of course, I had the vines taken up and burnt. By the time the proclamation reached me they were burnt. I think that as regards the phylloxera in that district it is a very serious matter. There are there a large number of people who since they received the proclamation thought they were not to touch them. I believe if it had been explained to these people they would have taken them up and burnt them, and three-fourths of the diseased vines would have been destroyed before now. They have made no attempt to burn them, because they thought they dare not do it. 63. Hon. the Chairman.] How long has that been going on ?—Three or four months. I think it is a serious matter, and so I thought it best to mention it. I know nothing about codlin-moth, though I am certainly of opinion that we should have legislation in regard to the transportation and sale of diseased fruit. The same would apply to the scale-infected trees. 64. What is the extent of the industry in your district? —It is a very large industry; as large, perhaps, as there is in the colony. I should say the largest, for Ido not think any other district produces so much fruit. 65. Does that include the growing of pears, apples, &c. ? —Yes ; but there are many kinds of fruits we cannot grow successfully—small fruits. 66. Can you tell of any general system of remedial measure for any of the pests?— Yes; many of the growers have tried systematically remedies they have seen in works they get from America and elsewhere. Some of them have nearly ruined their eyesight by using the same remedies year after year, and I think that many of the apple-growers have practically stopped arsenical dressing, but the bandaging is considered very good. 67. Are the orchards highly cultivated?— Yes, in some cases, very highly cultivated. I will tell the Committee what I did with my own few apple-trees. I found that the codlin-moth took the early apple, so I simply cut them down, and I only kept the very late kinds, and I have very few moths in them. They do not seem to take the late apples. I believe there are certain kinds of apples that the moth likes to live on, and I think it almost wise to do away with them altogether. 68. Where is the principal market for the northern fruit ?—All over the colony—right to Dunedin. 69. How are they situated in regard to export facilities ? —Well situated. It is all collected by boats, and better situated than in the Waikato, where they have to send it by train. We can put our produce on the market at a much less cost than they can in the Waikato. 70. What is the general feeling in your district in regard to the Bill ?—Strongly adverse. 71. Are they adverse to any system of restriction of export of fruit ?—That I could not say. I have not heard that question debated. I get regular communications from the fruit-growing associations, and I know their opinions on these matters. Of course, it is my own individual opinion that the prohibiting of the sending of this diseased fruit to market would have a sufficient check.