MR. BUCHANAN AND THE MINISTER.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 956, 25 October 1910, Page 6

MR. BUCHANAN AND THE MINISTER.

.'•'■ ''tee Latter explains. ' •' "'■" |To the. Editov.] : ■ , iSir,—With, reference to your report, in connection, with the Agricultural Department's estimates in'.the-House' on Saturday morning, I find that you have, unfortunately, omitted my reply to Mr. Buchanan's statement'that he had offered the Government money to buy an e.v perimental farm in his.district, which I had refused. As the matter. is .of considerable public interest I would like to have tlio reply which I then gave to Mr. Buchanan put on record.. A deputation waited upon mo in connection with the matter some 12 months ago, I then sent the following lotter to Mr. Buchanan, to which, up to the present, I have received no reply:— --. • ■ ■ "2nd October, 1909. 'TV.' iC- Buchanan, Esq., M.P., . "Tupurupuru, Gladstone. "Sir,—With reference to the grant ' which you kindly offered the Government, through a deputation which • waited upon mo' on the 31st August, for the purpose of establishing an experimental farm in the Wairarapa, I have the honour to inform'you that I am now dn - receipt of a coinniuni- [ cation from the-.Acting-Secretary of the Department'covering a report ' from the Director of Fields and Ex- ' perimental. Farms regarding tho best means of utilising your gift. "In the course of his remarks, the.Director expresses / the following opinion, namely, 'that one of the. most ■. useful purposes to,which such a grant could be devoted is most ■ assuredly plant-breediug and solection, with the object of obtaining greater purity of seed and increased crops. One of the ' greatest agricultural successes of modern Times has been the result of such labour at the Sval of plant- . breeding establishment in Sweden, ■ under the direction of Dr. ■ Nilsson. ' At this institution an increased yield • in certain, cereals of some 23 per cent, has been claimed. Plant-breeding or . selection for the improvement of seeds will certainly become a dominant feature of the experiment station ' of the immediate future.' "Personally, I think an experimental farm for plant and. seed breed- ; ing would ba of great service to the Dominion. ' "I gathered, however, from the gentlemen forming the deputation, . that your desire is to establish a ■ farm for dairy stock. On that occasion I pointed out that we are already devoting a great deal of time and money to similar experi- •■ ments at Weraroa. . ■ "I would like to have, your opinion on' the suggestion regarding seedbreeding, and also ~to know whether,' in the event of your not agreeing to your grant ■ being ■ utilised • in . that form, you would be willing to have a farm .established partly for seedbreeding* purposes and partly for dairy herds. "The deputation asked that I ' should discuss the seed-breeding idea with you, and this I shall be very . pleased to do at any- time that you can find it convenient to call, as I am anxious that wo should be in a position to accept your very kind offer, and that the purpose for which itwould be used would secure the greatest benefit possible. "I have the honour to be, "Sir, "Your obedient servant, "(Sgd.) THOMAS MACKENZIE, "Minister'. for Agriculture, Indus-' tries, and Commerce, and Tourist and Health Resorts, "P.S.—ln the event of your not seeing your way to agree to the second last paragraph I take it that your proposal of 16th December, 1907, still forms tho basis' of your offer." I also desire to point out that Mr. Buchanan mado. a second charge, in which he instanced. a case in which ten acres had been offered in the Wairarapa for experimental purposes, but the Department would do nothing. I see my reply to this statement has also been omitted. Tours faithfully, THOMAS MACKENZIE. October 24. [Our report of the proceedings during the all-night sitting of the House on the Estimates was naturally a very condensed one. It did, however, contain a reference to Mr. Mackenzie's reply to Mr. Buchanan on both the questions referred to in tho above lotter. This will be seen from the following extract from our Tcport:— ■ *'Mr. Buchanan (Wairarapa) complained that the Department had simply played with his offer of an experiment farm. He instanced another case in which ten acres had been offered in the Wairarapa for experimental purposes, but the Department would do nothing. "Mr. Mackenzie denied that cold water Jiad bee.nJhrq.w.ii JHUeithgr.offer,"]