A. & P. CONFERENCE

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1818, 2 August 1913, Page 8

A. & P. CONFERENCE

>'A GREAT DEAL OF LOSS.",

DEPUTATION TO MINISTERS.

FINAL DAY, * RAILWAY AND OTHER MATTERS, biennial conference of Agricultural Societies was concluded yesterday. Mr. Ewan Campbell, ofWangnnui, presided. . ... ........ .. Quarantine Duration and .Charges; The conference discussed the question of the quarantining of stock. ;; . .The. .Egmont. delegate (Mr. 11.I 1 . 6. Treweek); said, that he did not wish to complain about the treatment of stock held in quarantine,* for lie thought that adequate care was taken. However, the duration of quarantine should be reduced, and tho charges revised. Ho moved that the Government should be asked to go into this'question. The Director .of the Livo Stock Division of the Agricultural Department, Mr. C. J. Reakes, said that new regulations were in the hands of the' Crown Law Officers, and'that these provided for the duration of quarantine of sheep and pigs being lessened." Also, there would bo a revision of the charges. The time for holding cattle would not be reduced, owing to the risk of introducing tho skin parasite known m warble fly. •In view of Mr. Iteakes's statement, Mr, Treweek withdrew his motion. Mammitij. Mr. AV. Penney (Manawatn) moved that the Government'take steps to pre-' ,vcnt cows suffering from contagious mammitig being sold aa dairy'cows. Mr. C. J. Reakea said that farmers could protect themselves by ascertaining, .whenever possible,, before buying a cow whether its udder was sound or not. An examination' of 547 cows "suffering from inanunitis had shown that only 21G had the trouble in the contagions form. The Department was experimenting with a treatment. which was in use in Holland.

, The 'conference decided that the matter should l>e left in the hands of the Department. • Railage Matters.

The following Ashburton remit ( was agreed to:—"That the number and capacity' 'of the Government railway ■ goods sheds at country stations are not sufficient for the requirements of the present goods traffic, especially during tho wool and grain season. That tho Government should either largely increase their own storage accommodation or should encourage farmers to erect a private or cooperative goods shed. That with this end in view' the Railway Department should nmend the present prohibitive conditions regulating the right to erect private gTain Rlieds, and should be satisfied with such payment as will recoup the Department lor the actual outlay involved.'* The Railway Department is to be asked to simplify the certificates for show stock. , .

It' was resolved:—"That the Minister for Railways 6hould be asked to alter the railway regulations so as to allow stud'stock, travelling on circuit for breeding purposes, to be returned to the original consignor and forwarding station free of charge." • Grain Grading and Stray Fires.

Mr. D- D. . Macfarlano (Canterbury) moved:—"That the presept system of grain- grading is unsatisfactory, and the conference recommends, the Government to-hold an inquiry with a view to improving the system." The motion was carried. Members spoke_ of losses incurred through the. starting of stray fires, and Mi!/ 1 'Edwiii' Hall (Auckland) expressed the opinion that ■ some-' expensive fires ■were started by men who' went out from the towns and fired vegetation in order to frighten, into the open the rabbits which they wished to.shoot. It was resolved:— "That m view- of serious losses sustained by farmers and graziers through fires, the Government - should. be asked to pass a. measnre on the lines recommended by the 1907 conference to check , the starting •of fires."

. The conference has concluded. Other matters of importance are reported elsewhore in this issue.

BAILING DAIRY PRODUCE. ' The carriage of dairy produce on our railways has long beon a subject of discussion by agricultural, bodies. Yesterday, the Agricultural Societies' Conference resolved:—"That this conference urge upon tho' Government and the Railway Department the necessity for providing a sufficient number of insulated trucks for carrying cheese and butter by rail." -

. Mr. E. Eagle (Carterton), who moved the resolution, said that a great deal of loss had been experienced by farmers in his district last season through the railing. Messrs. Cuddy and Singleton, of the Agricultural Department, were, be added, entirely in, favour of the suggestion.

•PREMIER & MR. HEERIES. IN REPLY. Last evening 01 deputation waited on the Prime Minister (the Hon. W. F. Massey) and the Minister for Railways (tho Hon. W. H. Herries) and placed before; them' the outcome of. -the several <lay 9* deliberation. , In reply Mr. Massey said that a3 to the requested remission of rates on showgraiinda 'he did not think that Parliament would pass any . proposal put. forward with that end in view.' Respecting the deterioration of pastoral lands, he had .a Bill in preparation. There was jio question that the lands could not now carry what they . did twenty years ago. Tho Bill wo.uld include the clauses aiming to give a better security than was at present given, and to prevent the burning of the natural'grasses, at the wrong time of tho year. The Agricultural Department was already looking into tho .question of grading grain and bringing about an improvement. If the existing law was not sufficient to deal with people who .caused fires in rural districts, he would confer with the Minis-ter-for Justice arid endeavour to make it a penal offence to start these' fires.

Speaking to the'request for insulated railway vans in which to havo butter and cheese carried, Mr. Herries said that the Departirient was going in for a heavy increase m rolling stock, and if these vans could be provided they would be. It was a question of money. Tho same applied to tho request for goods-sheds in the South Island. If .he had tho money at his disposal he would give every station a goods-shed. .The matter of rates on show stock was at present under consideration and would bo ono of the first things dealt with when the tariff was over-hauled. Ho believed that there would be no objection to tho suggestions rnado'on the subject. Just now the finances of the Railway Department would not stand reductions. He had to give large concessions to tho railway servants, and there were other tilings which would reduce the Department's revenue, so ho did not seo his way to give any reduction to.traffic. If he could mraiago it next year ho would be happy to do 60.