, 1908-01-11

selves; worms at the roots have been snccesS-
fully combatted and been eradicated it has
been advised to use sulphur, and so ne other
remedies have been mentioned against the
Blister Leat-Mite, but the most effective is
the uprooting and burning, and when we
remember, not only the vast amount of
dement, we do to our own paintings, which
perhaps are not yet infected, and the vast
amount OF benefit done to the Island and to
our promising industry, we need not think
hard Of it, if even a little bit of cotton vet
remaining on the shrubs has to be burnt
too; the same uplooting and burning would
always have to be done. In % years time
we might get lid of the evil, and no sacri-
hce will be required. It is our duty to
make the sacrifice to save from further loss,
by helping to protect Cotton we better our
position and create good and safe sources
of revenue for our Budgets and we main
tain our position. In other cases where
. vermin and plaques have hitherto threaten
ed the cotton crops, we have, when no rem
Cdy c.uld be found, Of our own accord de-
stroyed what was left on the fields; and we
may feel assured that before Government
makes use of the authority given by S4 to
cause the cotton on whole districts to be
burned, they will have made proper inves~
tigation and no doubt the service of IAN ex-
pert will be engaged. With these remarks
he would recommend the matter for consid-
GRAFTON and discussions; but whatever is
done, must be done soon. He would beg
to recommend that the Draft be referred
to a Committee.
The Governor said, he could perfectly Tin.
derstand the view expressed by the last
houourable Speaker in his Introductory
remarks on this Draft, aud he perfec "
agreed in the great Importance to the island,
winch the pOmhatlDU of tho tbrpofouiOr ovil
involves even if that evil be considered as
being limited at present, there is no knowing
what dimensions it may assume some day not
far off. He only hoped that those who are
more closely and intimately connected with
the interests 50 threatened will join in talk
ing the same view Of the matter and will act
accordingly. The matter has his own full
sympathy, and be trusted that measures will
be found adapted to eombaC this evil which
the now promising and lucrative industry,
the Cotton Raising, IS threatened by, even if
such measures ought not be adopted in the
manner proposed by this Draft. To this latter
he had some remarks to make, viz when in
s 2 it is proposed that the uproo ing and
burning of the plants shall be done at the
latest by the 1st of June every year, he
could we'll understand that some diversity of
opinion exists in regard to the fixing Of any
date at all and then Just that date, especially
here where the time of reaping depends 50
much on The weather, and Of course it could
never he the intention that the cotton plants
shall be uprooted and burned before the
crop is mature, he (the Govornor) would
think it more advisable that it be SO. fixed
that 4 planters be nominated to propose
every year the period when the cotton crop
can be considered as being housed, and the
uprooting and burning then be carried out
it is by no means easy or right to fix any
definite period beforehand once for all,
where circumstances va1y so much.-Then
there is s 3 with the fines for neglect to up.
root and burn at the time specified. and it
seems 10 be the meaning that after the party
has been fned land the fines are fixed ct
very high rates) thenth Court can give an in
junction under another and daily fine now, it
seems to him, that if parties neglect to per-
form the duty imposed by law in a case like
this, where speedy action is necessary, there