POULTRY INDUSTRY.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15870, 9 April 1917, Page 2

POULTRY INDUSTRY.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE. The seventh annual conference of the New Zealand Poultry Association was opened at Wellington on Saturday, the president (Mr H. M. Boddington, of Masterton) occupying the chair. There was an attendance of about delegates from all over the Dominion. The conference was formally opened by the Mayor (Mr J. P. Luke). In his retiring address, the president stated that the poultrykeeper's lot during the past year had on the wholo been fairly satisfactory. With judicious management, and the knowledge that the prices of feed will not rise any higher than at present, the outlook was much brighter now than at this period last year. During the year under review the executive held eight meetings, all of 'which were well attended, the October meeting being an exceptionally good one tnrough the farthest North- and iarthest {south; members putting in an appearance. With reference to the export shipment, 560 dozen \yero sent to the London market last season, but so far the returns had not been received. The eggs were preserved with a dry preservative, and not cool-stored at all. ' The remits to be submitted for consideration covered a wide "range of subjects, and those adopted should provide considerable material for the Association's executive to deal with during ttie coming year. It aiiorded the speaker pleasure to state that poultryuicn throughout the Dominion were taking advantage of and utilising the services of the three Government Poultry Instructors, who were always ready and anxious to assist in the development of thfe industry. At the la-3t conference, Mr Bonnington said, the most agitating topic was the Association's -'iet down" by the Government over the non-stamping—at that period—of imported eggs. Once again the Government was in the poultrymen's "mash" by its most extrar ordinary action and concurrence in the flouting of the Pure Foodg Act by permitting bakers and confectioners to infringe Regulation No. 30 of that Act, which distinctly prohibited the use of such an article as that termed "Asiatic Egg Pulp." The executive ha'd used every endeavour to legitimately influence the Government to carry out the Act, but without success, and-as there were several remits dealing with the question, the conference woilld have ample scope to vent its opinions thereon. In connexion with the Asiatic egg question, their Christchurch friends were deserving of the thanks of all Dominion poultrvmen for the persistent manner in which they had agitated to have the law of the country enforced, as wss done with i.uch articles 'as milk and other foods. Owing to the continuance of the war and the necessity of the Government concentrating its whole energies thereto, the executive did not deem it advisable to advocate any material proposals other than to suggest that, wher fixing the price of wheat, the price so fixed should be the maximum for anv kind —milling or otherwise. This suggestion was duly agreed to, and their Southern friends were fortunate enough to reap the greatest benefit therefrom. Although the war naturally dominated everything—we in New Zealand hardly felt the effects — : the poultry industry still continued to progress.