POULTRYMEN CONFER.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2123, 15 April 1914, Page 10

POULTRYMEN CONFER.

FIRST'DAY'S SESSION, The fiinrtli nniuial iwiforpncfl !tm!<'r the auspices jf tin? X<>w /o.ibnd I'liitltry Assooiation wn.s npi-m/l in 111♦* Town , Hall ypslerdny iiitirninp;. - Aliout forly delegates worn present, and Mr, S. Ibil- - Hull, president (if tho tinsoeiiition, was in tln> chair. Prior .to .the coiiuiiiMtcciiK'iili of biminess, the dolefulcs wcro rccoivfd hy Mis Worship the Mnyoi , . Mr. Luiin i«jvn a short address, in -llif-mornM is!' which hn.said that ho was n-rj |>W.sci| In see that (liu I'mtlt-ry Asmii-inlinn liiid singled out Wcllmikloii f<ir , hulithii/, Muconference. JudKiiiK ffuui Hi* l iitimliKl , of. invjKirlnnf pii|'i'ri» in Ih> K'fld, Ilin winloronci* would ln> of d|n>riM viihtn lit Hμ comniiinity. In Ihn Old {'oiiolry, continued-tho Mnyor, I lie jntultfy 11'tirlo was ii {{iv:il. (mi , . I'liiKliim! wmi uuiith))! YCYy Inraoly to ovi'i'SiNts finiiill'iivt, nml liei- markets, wore open to New' /■fiiliiiid ponltry-keepors. Mnri'ovcr, Ihi.i fliiilnl Kingdom wnsc not- Iho only innt'ltt , !. fur tllO (ipfllillg of !ll(< I'lllllUHil (!|ili-Il) Mlfftlll. n grout donl in othor (lilwliniiMi (hit , thing thnt ho would lil;i> (« monl-iiiH whm the (lesiriibility of mnkivi;; suro <lml- llu , .strain of fowls was k\-\A ji«mil. Tim poultry men of New Z-niluild Wore, |i«" thought, capabli' of doiiijt Mini. Air. V. V. Dnmii, (h wrmiti'iii- Cniilliy Export, also inado »' ehnl |'<'»H'rtil speech; int-rudiiclory to ilto rflnfiM-ni'tco; The industry, Ik> hiiiil, was ){<iiiii; nhctid. Nine or toinyoiirs' n-ijvi !>ryid(rv-'lwi'|iii!(.r. was looked ii|i(in inoiv in I lie liglif of n hobby. . Now, however, it wits- Ixoki.'d upon iilmosf entirely from tlw <"ntiiiM**i'cial side. Within tin l h\sl tV'w 'ycurit there hndl been an imM'i>iiso of fifty \wv cent, in tho Now /on'lnnd oiitp-nl-.

The rlininnnn ropotfoif th<> <nr(('nm<' «f n recent' deputation from I In. , siKWM'i.v tion which hiul wnitWl o.n th» I ton. W. V. -llassoy. In this witiiwlinn tho li'illowing motion whs piisswi: "TlvM, in view of tho explanation niYowlotl liy lire president, this roiifofoiico" itppntros !lio action which tho deputation took in suggesting to tho Prime* Minis-lei- that tho Agricultural fiopnrl mont should take over tho Now Zealnml I'tilrty Poultry Club Egg-Laying Ooßipotit-ioii."

It was decided to altw the cenfuniwo programme for this morning,' ko Hint the association could meet Aicssrs. <.'. If. Henkcs, Bruce, and Pope, of thn At;ncultural Department. Tlio inciting between the delegates tind the. Depart'-' incut's repreiontativos will taiso place at 10 a.m. THE REPORT. MAINLY MARKETING &■ MARKETS. The annual report cont3ii.ied.t7io following, inter alia:—"Great advancement has been made during 1013. Cliief among, tho factors of development ate Government instruction, tlie . improved quality arid prices of eggs and funiltry, education through the press, tho export trade, and an intelligent interest in poultry by farmers. The Government continues to do good service to the industry by_ its experiment- farms, though'it-is , to be ,r.eg*etted that more activity is not shown iit instruction work. Education in poultry generally is jiot so badly' needed as instruction tofai-mers on raarketirtg in better, form. At least two .additional instniotdrß should be appointed lo help in 'this work. The improvoinent in the quality of eggs has been largety dm to the egg circle movement. Better fggs ha'vo resulted, and higher prices and better profits. Farmers who disregarded modern methods of marketing eggs have now awakened to the .increased prices which a little attention will bring about. The old. system of holding eggs for weeks, and packing them in clwff for I sending to market, is rapidly passing away, with its consequent losses.''Eggs that have gone bad, broken in transit, and 1 depreciated in value through holding by 20 per cent., have entailed such losses that it costs producers thousands of pounds .annually. A liberal estimate of losses in this direction would be at least £50,000. The conference should strenuously urge tlie Government to place instructors in the field, so as to cut out this great waste. • The Chance in Table Poutfcy. "A great improvement has also to be recorded in many districts in tlie high prices of table poultry. This is the outcome of; tho prices that 'have tempted farmers and poultrynjen. to feed their birds liberally, and 1 market them at an earlier -age. It has been quite a common custom for farmers to keep their male birds till a year oW before sending them to market. Not only did they have to feed tho birds for many extra mouths, but they depreciated in value 75 per cent. To feed liberally and market nt four to live months gives^higher, returns, and makes poultry'raising for tho table a payable proposition. It is iio uncommon thing to see gofld table chickens averaging Bs, per pair-in the auction market every month. The loss of immature, poorlv fleshed, and 1 overaged birds may easily.bo set down at £25.000. per annum. Hero we have two distinct' avenues where producers are losing at least £75,000 per year in NewZcaland. Export and Organisation. "The success of the export trade to Vancouver last year' should stimulate tho market. For many years -British. Columbia has afforded'us a. good market, and there are :i»any reasons why eggs will, always-be at a high price on that market. Little has been done fitting tho year to organise producers.' Our association has not grown as. it should havodone, but there are evident- signs that poultrymon begin to realise the value of corporation by means.of Whs ■ association. Canterbury has_ma<le good progress, as during tlie past few month* four new circles have been formed, and it is expected that quite twenty, sioro will bo "formed before the end of the year. Tho value -of "the poultry industry is not sufficiently ventilated, and it is' remarkablo that While v>-e. tin tell thp number of fruit trees, tlie acreage, and average of oreps in the Dominion, wo can only arrive at a value of tno poultry industry by deduction. Producers receive from poultry products at a very low estimate £1.350,00)." Tho annual balance-sheet for the year ending March' 31 showed A debit balance of £2 10s. 6d. j

EVENING SITTING. RETIRING PRESIDENT'S SPEECH, The retiring president (Mr. S. Brittain Bull) addressed the conference at tho evening sitting. He stated that a notable development during tho year had been tho opening up of outside markets. Considerable activity had beoa displayed by the association's executive in dealing with remits sent forward from the last conference to tho Government. In regard to the deputation that had approached the Government, lro hoped that the good seed sown would bring forth fruit. Speaking persoually, ho had found a much more sympathetic feeling among the officials- of the Department and an inclination to rtgafd the poultry industry as a source - ©? considerable wealtli to tho country. Thore was,, however, need for an aggressive.propaganda to bring about better trade conditions. Olio rattier disappointing example of the association's weakness had been tho fate of regulations' in the Pure Foods Act relating to eggs. It had been anticipated that the regulation which stated that "pastry shall not-eontaiu any dried albumen, yolk-of egg preserved with any preservative substance" would luivo been enforced, but, apparently, something had happened later, which had induced tho .Minister to -change, his views, iind to sanction tho sale of dried eg; ponder—au article ' of German

orifciii;i-.The spniiUt'r-wpnt'on.to siiy that toiisidnr'iihlv. ; -"inoni'■inlci'oM.' had ' boon liilicii 'in t.i'.n : : export,-'trail*''(luring the voar under' review , , , ', mid, although no linml. <|imiitit.v,oi'.''KK» Imd Mt <n;i , .slum's, solid work .hail bewi done, iliis j trndu wu?-'one. l ii».l. -tlwy-miist carefully j <!iillmil<v''Uti<l thorn : :were imltcations lliiil. \.\»y would hiive to' iplv on it much niofo in thfi'fiil.ii r<\ than they had done in Ilin pi-Hi-, One'advance i'l tlworganililtiiln of tin' poultr.vkee.pers-li«d- been, miwld in'Auclcliind, whom tli'ose■ intoresti<) in thiv Inifli' had formed' mi u'sseciaimu vvhii'ii was (t(*ini» to dt-voto itself to (in' hni.Uirriii'nl. of the conditions under w)iii;ii thi> i)ii!n-H(r.v■ is prriod. mi., It was k> ,l)i« Imped l-hat.'..siimlfir'iisßociatione (Ktul'l '■"■■ .-.1-"i , l-"d ol»K\viiere. A uniuiinums .'.-vole of tliinilcH was |.ii(;iKi'(i U> Mr. Hull-fur.his addrcßS, and iiluu i'lifhiw iuti , n , ,Ht iu the inrfustry. Working, an Egg Cfroio. : An inttruel.h'H 'paper on ' "I'lnw to \S\iiU iiii Hut! ("irule" wna read by Mr. H. M, Hmliiiiiut(H», of Mastcrtnn. 'The [ «lU;iti!liditi/.: IVatiim abr.nt Jin r-fyj circle, ■ miW I tin Hpcnlf'i-, ahoiil'J be intelligent ! uii(iiujj,i , in<'iit, mill, for thin, it whs- esiieiiI (inl l<) lii.ivu ii K'Mid secretiiry and a livo i vntnmtttfii. Tlio hhccobs altniiivd by the ! \\'<tir«irn|»n Citnio — vow tftiir years old— tai.d U'f-n itiiv ))i'ijinii'ii.y Ui its lannagoUH'Ht. 'f'ljii m'xt importiHi-t matter in |lhii w<irli «t mi «'gK «irclo was securing lull HjSi'iil. Amoiißst the objects'of ftgg r-mkvi «!im tltot of provkling cheap feed )<.ir i(B mnmhors, nitd, to that end, tho WiiiriH'Mpii C/'ii-elo Iw4 entered into yearly cMitftictH , , winch, -on the whole', hat! j ftiw-pi) ndvrtntiifiw.'iiK-. A rpntral reewvlii|j (U-poi, wsiit slko desirable, as tliis . I'liv'ilitiitwl niflU-iirs ronuiderahly in rc•cfiviuf* nml flifijifitelling eggf- to tho ■«H*>ml.',- Anollicr tiling that the Waiftiriipa Ciivlc lia/1 done wits io arrange with its ii.Rctvl. in Wellington to book a omXriii-.t. for tlio supply of preserved ofSHs. fly this rarane memherff ivert) ' (iiiHiii'i'd fii a eorlain prieo. Through exl.4'H!;ivo pri'scrving, which was tioiv bo-•'o-iiiiuti mow general throughout the j 'Dominion, the supply of was coniiitl»ral)ly lessrnod iu tho flush of tho isosisoH." Finally, Mr. Botldhigton nrgfd lon (it!,Mwetarifis and wmmittecs to-run I thoir pirdes an real busiiiess lines, and not lo go in for anything merely be- [ uftUtio. it was cheap.

. • Lessons of the Laving tests. Mr. G. Willis jpad a lengthy paper entitled Learned' at the New Zealand ' Utility.; Poultry Club's EggLnyiisg Competition." To glaiioo haok, ho* aiiitS, over tho nine yftars , competitions, brought the realisation of groat .development from a beginning. 'The schtoitwnal -. possibilities of such {•ofiipetitinns w<?ra not fully grasped at the outset, but new openings for making those tests of practical sc-rvico were bonus in ou the committees of'management from year to year. The lessons teamed liadireeu .numerous and interesting. First there, was tho suitability of sosl and housing; this had a gofid 'effect oil tho egg yield. Secondly. there was the selection strain a.nd breeding, These were, subjects which every breeder of poultry ought to seriously consider — they wore tlic< secret of heavy egg production. ThfHi there was tho system of feeding, two-year tests,-duels tests, and tlio avoidance- and treatment of disease. Tho speaker treated all these main points at some length.' Both Mr. BotMiiifiUm and Mr. Willis xrcre accorded votes of thanks, and interesting discussions followed... During tliJ? afternoon the' delegates mad? a trip in nn pbsorvatiob cat- oi ; er tho points of interest in the city.