A VETERAN APIARIST

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2181, 20 June 1914, Page 10

A VETERAN APIARIST

MR, ISAAC HOPKINS GOING TO ENGLAND. Mr. Isaac Hopkins, who is generally regarded as tfce father of the bee-keep-ing industry in this country, and ivas for some y<*a,fs Chief Government Apiarist, intends to leave New • Zealand in order to take up his residence- in Kitgland. Yesterday . the Jfe'Secpers-' Conference, in the name of all the bee-keepers in tho Domiiiioif. .placed on record its appreciation -of the rateable .service rendered by .Mr. Hopkins to tho beekeeping industry in New Zealand, and decided to take-up subscriptions from its members in order to present Mr. Hopkins with s. memento of his association -with tho industry and with those engaged in it, ' Mr. Hopkins attended the confer-eiseo later, and briefly expressed his thanks. He said that his renaming time in New Zealand would he very short; he hoped to be at Home before this time- nasf, year. This was his fortieth year <>.f> bee-keeping, and his fiftieth 'year in New Zealand, In his connection with tho Department lie had ajways endeavoured to promote the welfare of individual _ beo-keeprs, and cansoqwmtiy of the industry. Ho was now', in ' his seventy-eighth year, and in lira ordinary course of things could not expect to Ito much longer oil thfe planet, but hij was glad to know that the work'lw had done was appreciated. He would keep in tfflnelt with what was being dolio in New Zealand as long as he lived, Mr. Hopkins expressed his gvatthtdo to Mr. Kirk for giving him a free hand while lie was connected with tho Department. Mr. Kirk (Director of Orchards ami Apiaries) said that there was no- more ' enthusiastic'hea-keeper m $ew Zealand tlian Mr. Hopkins, and the work that he had done was appreciated in Australia, England, and America, as well as in this country.