NOTES ON INSECTS INTRODUCED INTO MAURITIUS. 177 



8. Provided that nothing in the above shall prohibit or prevent the Government 

 from making such importations and introductions of such live plants, cuttings and 

 others aforesaid, as it may require for scientific investigations. 



The provision for prohibition of certain imports is to protect our staple industries 

 from pests and diseases which could be introduced in shipments, and which would 

 at the same time be very difficult to detect at the port of entry. 



The sugar-cane, fibre and tea industries are also protected against the introduction 

 of pests and diseases by imports only being allowed from countries and locahties 

 where serious diseases are non-existent. The Department of Agriculture through 

 its exchanges of scientific pubHcations is well informed of the occurrence of pests 

 and diseases in other countries, and therefore can afford assistance to the principal 

 industries of the Colony by having control of the imports of certain living plants. 



Fumigation and disinfection of certain imports after inspection is provided for, 

 in order to safeguard against the introduction of diseases and pests of a cosmopohtan 

 character, and the provision for plantings to be made in nurseries is made so that 

 insects or diseases which may by chance have passed through the port of entry 

 inspections and treatment may be detected before they have become spread in the 

 country. 



By Proclamation 52 of 1913 it is provided that the importation into Mauritius 

 from any country or place whatever, including the Dependencies of Mauritius, 

 of all living insects except such as may be required by the Government for scientific 

 purposes is absolutely prohibited. 



(687) ^ ,2 



