WAIRARAPA EGG CIRCLE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2401, 5 March 1915, Page 8

WAIRARAPA EGG CIRCLE

A SUCCESSFUL YEAR. The fifth annual report of. the Wairarapa. Egg Circle, Masterton, to be presented at the annual meeting on March 11 states: —'-'The year under review has again been most successful, - though'the membership 'has decreased, owing to various causes, IS new members wero elected during the year as against 22 for the previous year. The membejship of the circle now stands at 97, as against .114 for last year. The members are distributed as follows: —Masterton, 33; .Carterton,. 27; Greytown, 26; Eketanuna, ,6; 4; Mauriceville, 1. During 1914 the circle's agents, in • Wellington .and. Masterton disposed of- 39,178 dozen - eggs, which realised ' £2670: Ms.,. as against 41,177 dozen for £2584 lis. 4d., in the previous year. The 39,178 dozen were sent' from the following branches of thecircle: —Masterton, 16,866 dozen; Carterton, 6837. dozen - ; Greytown, 10,136 dozen; Eketabuna, 3107 dozen; Featlierston, 1761 dozen; Miuriceville, >471 dozen. Owing to what was considered an excessive prico tendered for wheat, the committee did not enter into any contract for the past year, and owing to the very unsettled state of affairs a present it is unlikely any contract will be arranged for 1915. The committee' regret that the Government failed to provide any relief for the poultry industry whilst they were fixing s prices, for wheat, etc., as their failure to do so has brought about the, wholesale selling off of poultry throughout the Do-' minion. The least the Government could have done towards helping the indusfc'ry .tvas to. have stipulated that tub bran and pollard produced from the wheat imported by them should have been sold at a fixed reasonable price, whereas tlie -price being charged is out of all proportion-to the•-value ■of the product. - It is unfortunate that "the Governments of New Zealand, both past and present, have had little inclination to help along 'tho industry; which from a commercial'point, contributes more to its revenue than any. other industry, such as fruit and honey, both of which are being spcoii fed at the Dominion's expense. Notwithstanding the high prices being charged for poultry feed, the committee urge upon members the advisability of retaining the best of their flocks, as owing to_ the destruction of so many laying bir.ds, eggs will be in short sunply. Members should also be prepared to protest to the proper quarter against the removal of the duty on imported eggs as has been suggested by a Wellington confectioner. During the past year two shipments of eggswsre made_to van-1 couver. . Unfortunately, _ tJie; first . lot j turned out most unsatisfactory. - Up to the present no advice lias been re-. . ceived of 'tie'fate' of the second .consignment," which were* dispatched nearly three ago... Unless more businesslike methods are adopted in tho exporting of eggs for.the future, those concerned in its management cannot hope to receive < the assistance 1 from poultrykeepers to .'further _ the project ; which- is -Bo.'essential to toe industry. Tho committee desire to place on record their appreciation of the good services rendered by their latd coworker, Mr. ■\Y. H. Baillie, who died in June last, Mr. Baillie -was most enthusiastic in the industry,' and was most helpful m his assistance to the Carterton branch, The statement of accounts for the year ending January 31, showed a credit balance of £17 17s.