The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-11-27
AID
IS NEEDED
The Collector Questions
Right to Exclude
Pests.

Until the Board of Agriculture can
secure the effectual cooperation of the
Federal authorities its efforts to pre-
vent the introduction of pests into
Hawaii is likely to prove failure.
Steps were taken Wednesday, however.
which will no doubt lead to the active
aid of the Department of Agriculture
at Washington in the work now being
done by the Board of Agriculture in
the Islands.
The question OF the insuff1ciency OF
the present measures to prevent the
Importation of pests was raised IN
series of reports from G. w. Kirkaldy,
the entomologist who came here from
England a short time ago.. at the re-
quest of the board. Mr. Kirkaldy
said in his first communication that he
had learned that extensive importa-
tons of pineapples are to be made at
Hilo and Honolulu. In a second let
ter there is a statement. that large
number of small ferns and cut plants
are being imported through the post
without undergoing inspection, and
that without the cooperation OF the
postal authorities it is impossible to
prevent the importation of pests
through the mail
Still third letter stated that Mr..
Kirkaldy had condemned shipment
of alligator pears and pineapples from
Australia to G. Kunst. The reasons
given for the condemnation We're: the
regulation prohibiting the Importation
Of any fruit from Australia and also
because the pears were rotten and the
pineapples were covered with a small
scale.
A package of cocoa pods from Samoa
for the United States Experiment Sta
ton is also being held for examination,
but will be released.
Mr.. Thurston stated that a still more
serious obstacle in the work was to
be considered. Collector Stackable
had notified Mr.. Austin that he would
not deliver up the package from Aus
tralia unless authority was given by
the importer. Mr.. Kunst. Mr.. Kunst
had agreed to this and the trouble is
for the present averted.
Mr.. Thurston stated that the Col
lector's position is that the Territory
has no authority to take an importa-
| ton unless with the permission of the
Treasury Department. Mr.. Stackable
| is willing to assist the work as much
as he could but insisted that authority
| must first be obtained from the impor-
| ter, before any importation could be
| delivered to the Territorial Inspector
| Mr.. Thurston stated that a oornmuni-
| cation had been sent on the Ventura
| asking the Treasury Department for
rules and regulations in regard to the
authority of the Territory. Mr.. Gift
| fard said he disagreed with the Collec-
| tor, that he didn't believe the Federal
authorities had any desire to interfere
with the work being done, and even ii
there was discretionary power with the
| collector, the Department would prefer
| that 1t not be exercised to embarrasE
the Board. Mr.. Giffard further said
that it was necessary to have the as.
sistance Of both Federal and Terri
torial authorities and advised that the
| matter be settled once and for ali as
| soon as possible.
| Mr.. Carter suggested that the Col
lector be requested to ask the Treasury
| Department fer positive instructions
| in dealing with plant importations, and
that the Board ask the Department OF
| Agriculture at Washington for it's CO.
| operation, as other importers might
! not be SO willing to assist as was Mr.
| Kunst. This was agreed to and the
! discussion ended