DISTRICT AGENTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 626, 1 October 1909, Page 10

DISTRICT AGENTS.

THE MINISTER'S LATEST. EABICAL CHANGES. : :: 'JTho '•decision to establish "district agents" . :in tho. various provincial. centres, in plnco of ' j tho old "stock othces," 'seems to he the begin-. . . ningvof' ft. very; marked change in district orApparently rthe- district.,afcent will bo •jrirelyi arid -simply, ? a : clerk;:;. He, ; and • his ' i •. ! Btaif::(if : ' any)'- will;.bo! tho 'only iiixed, represbntativcs ofthe Department in. the district. rAll othcr.'Departmental olhcors, .workmg;in' ai'par--HciilarK^stnot 1; will ' tako their instructions • directly from-'.the Wellington 'head- ': officc. Auckland, Christchurch, and Duncdin citics, :?v which have hitherto, possessed elaborate groups ■ -of/ Departmental officers .entirely..their own :':'• .will.in- future, havo to; bo' content with: a clerk : "■ only. "Auckland,'i in J particular, - has, in - the - past, been building up quito a littlo head offico ; its-own,'and ;it isi'diffiralt tO;believe that : .cither;' Auckland or any of; the' other "cities will welcome the change.- .: v ■».■■■■. From .the purely ■ Ministerial, and "hcadoffice":•■ point of view, the chango appears to • present itself ila" acommondablo .light. . Whilo ",■■■ tho district 'agent," for oxamplo, mil bo a : sort',,of- medium '..of: intorcourso: between tho '. '..farmer' and.tho experts . travelling;.in .his. dis- ;■ ' Strict, ' thoso ; exports will, bo ..'controlled as :i.' already- indicated, and centralisation" will bo ,- c i thns,the main feAlir'e'. -Tho votprinarian working in .',the.'. Auckland district, 1 , for .Example, will Q} l keep.:the ''district;' agent /informed of his : vh.ere:,abont3 .; of,;thor;head office ..and of the'farmers who' may.: wish.:„to VmeetJ'him. ■' Ho .will also*, ontrust to;'..tho .district- agent a V'certain M.'; clerical ;■ work. .■.■'' Similarly ' '. -■tho pomologist,' the inspectors of noxious weeds ; - and rabbits, and,--perhaps,. ; some., other travellins'b(lcers,;Will touch With the agent. Bnt.ithp .interesting questiori' is: "What will be- .; come of tho wine laboratory : -.which- Mr; v-where,"MK Boncher has i been-.vont;to-mr.cer-'' ; ■: orchardists ?. -■ Jn • tho- days, when,: Mr. Clifton .' olhciato' ho was-more,'.to Uno'farmors ,o|uAack» .s -' : cludi£g,;th;o- Minister, put- togpthcr.' For .the no chiof inspector of,.stock ;•; a little office where • they may > ereabbtiis : of. somo .official; ana ' leave a note, _ / •.- .No. doubt the innovation will increase tho Sbworijb'rV.at 1 ; least tho. importance—of f;Mr. ,vatt,Hl)Bilnspectdr ol iOffices. ~tAVhether'. .the y CdistricKragencies :• wore contemplated .or .'flofc*:'&t ;-Vfirst':,bre&ted;> 'is. not- known,; but ; it. seems,, oh-. V: : rioiis sthatvtho ;later Vschemoicould .'not .succeed ho will,' throughout oitposit: offices;";of , tho •, Dopart- ./ merit,. ho -ivill have .to .bo .the .eyes .of -tho v l (M^s.l , opo),:who.;Will ~J";:-.havo^®'d"bther"fmbaiis;bf knowing flbw':.thrbut-; - ! i : ; side;:officei :;are,,,boing,,conducted. :-';Mr.Evatt. , ranks: amongt ho chief somor .officers of tho « .Department,:- and, ho is understood to bo very ' ~ guccessfnl /in ,his- new rolo. ■ ■