A CENTRAL CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1698, 14 March 1913, Page 8

A CENTRAL CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE.

. LORD ISLINGTON'S . SCHEMR At a meeting of tho general'committee . jtbf. the Canterbury ,A. ,'aud P. Association lon Tuesday, Lord. Islington's', inemoran- - dum to tho president regarding the cstab■lishment'.of a .'Central Chamber of Agn.culturo.was 1 received. The 'memorandum, •after reviewing the agricultural and pas- 1 'toral possibilities of . New Zealand, suggested the following .scheme,for the establishment of. a permanent and continuous organisation as an advisory and educational 'body of agriculture, viz.: To make , the biennial: agricultural conference annual, arid .'call it a Central Chamber of Agriculture. ■ It- should bo composed of (1) representatives from each-A. and P. association, selected for one or two years, pro Tata of membership; (2) certain cooperative ' representatives from. tho Agricultural Department, scientific experts engaged in the industry, biologists,. chemists, etc. The chamber should select annually from their-number a chairman and officers ■ nm'l .executive; committee: not • ex-, reeding twelve persons. l This' executive ' would have referred to them by tho chamber the, following .matters':—Arrangement, of annual conference and, the order of remits from A. and P. associations in accordancewith .their- importance, and it. should be open to them to delete remits of a purely local character .'which should ,bs> dealt with by tho A. ami IJ.1 J . association 'itself; discretion to place, say, two remits on the agenda -paper on any subjects the executive deem of; importance and: comirioa interest. ; The executive : committee Bhould meet quarterly. At. the. previous quarterly meeting '.to tho conference they, should; draw'lip a report on any remit they intend to placo on the agenda paper, an,d r circulate it . to .the A.iand T. asso- ' relation's, thus ensuring a considered discussion on the subject at tho conference. The exeoutivo could appoint from .time ,to time a sub-committeo from their number-, arid call any outside expert to in- . quire ;into and report : .Dn'' any "technical question-relating to agriculture. -For example (I) the establishment of agricultural ; colleges as a scientific ' centre for education and research for New Zealand, its stall, equipment, etc., its relations-to or control.of. experimental farms,'-its provisions" for-;resehrch '-workj ;laljoratories, etc., its .prbvisioiu-forTrosldeht, ori other ,• student 1 ), th'o \sj i etc., or to. what : exMht''*the;' i college: administration, ; wonUr : Ke"' liToiigK, ihtoiio-" ordination' with the Agricultural 'Depart* ment; (II) practical schemes, for ensuring a good strain of stock in New.Zealand; (III) advantages attached to the introduction of light railways" as .the most economical 'and effective means of communiwith remote country districts,working in conjunction with trunk lines; also, as to the -most-effective-means •of bringing now country : undfer„.rapid oulti-vation;-to what extent, existing; roads could be''utilised as' pel'mtinentway 'for light railways; (IV) the'creation, of' ;i . scientific immigration • system with-agents working in co-operation both in'!-England and New Zealand to provide suitable agriculturalists; (1) farm hands; (2). small settlers. : ;...