1008 rRi)ci;EDi-xc;s of the third extomologicai. meeting 



period of one year iu the first instance. This period has now elapsed 

 End presumably the Customs Staff will continue the work, as no practical 

 difficulties seem to have arisen in doing it. 



A few unforeseen contingencies which have arisen may be mentioned 

 here. A case occurred in which a parcel of water-lilies was brought 

 into Calcutta ; as it was not possible to fumigate wet plants of this sort 

 and as there seemed no danger of their introducing pests, they were 

 allowed in without fumigation. A trade in sugarcane from the Persian 

 ( iulf to Karachi was also reported ; as the cane was intended for eating 

 purposes in Karachi and as it seemed unlikely that any new pests or 

 diseases would be introduced, this was also allowed to be landed. A 

 more serious case occurred in Bombay in June 1918 when some ten 

 thousand maimds of cotton seed from Mombasa was brought to Bombay ; 

 it was not possible to fumigate this large quantity with carbon bisulphide 

 in accordance with the regulations, as the apparatus at hand was in- 

 •eufficientl}' small, and it was passed to the consignees without fumigation 

 on their giving a bond that it would be used for oil-making in Bombay. 

 A report was also received that unginned cotton, amounting to 50,000 

 Bengal maunds during the past year, is received at the port of Porbandar 

 (Por bandar State) from the jjorts of Gwadar and Cliobar in the Persian 

 Oulf, but no action seemed necessary in this case as we are not likely 

 to receive from the Persian Gulf any pests that we have not got already. 

 I have also come across one case where plants were fumigated and 

 proved to have living insect pests on them on receipt by the consignee ; 

 in this case, the packing material had not been fumigated and the plants 

 were consequently reinfested ; steps have been taken to prevent a 

 recurrence of this. 



Penalties for infringement of the regulations governing the importa- 

 tion of plants into India are provided as follows : — 



f:{i) Section i of the Pest Act (II of 1914) prescribes that a Notifica- 

 tion issued under Section 3 of the Act shall operate as if it 

 had been issued under Section 19 of the Sea Customs Act. 

 (ii) Under Chapter XVI, Section 167 («) of the Sea Customs Act 

 goods which ate landed at ports other than those prescribed 

 for the landing of such goods are liable to confiscation. 

 Plant imports, therefore, which are landed otherwise than 

 at Bombay,' Calcutta, Dhaneshkhodi. Karachi. Madras, 

 Negapatam, Rangoon or Tuticorin are liable to confiscation. 

 ((■(■/) Under Chapter 167 (8) of the Sea Customs Act, the importation 

 of prohibited goods may involve confiscation and the imposi- 

 tion of a fine not exceeding thrice the value of the goods or 

 one thousand Rupees. 



