NURSERYMEN'S CONFERENCE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2675, 22 January 1916, Page 2

NURSERYMEN'S CONFERENCE

DEPUTATION TO MINISTERS,

The nurserymen who have heen sitting in conference in Wellington during lie past week interviewed the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. F. Massoy) and the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald, yesterday morning concerning ■ some of the decisions of their conference. Their requests had to do chiefly with the Bill promised by the Government on their recommendation a'year ago. Other matters dealt with were the registration of nurseries; the setting up of' a nomenclature board, and the teaching-'of 'horticulture at technical schools and experimental farms. The Prime Minister, replying, eaid that, with regard to the Bill he: need scarcely remind the deputation that the time and attention of members of Parliament had, during the past year, been almost wholly occupied with tie war, and members were not inclined to settle down to discuss such legislation as Orchards Bills. He.could not say what nest session would be like in this respect. That would depend largely on the course of events in the war. But he recognised the importance of keeping the promise made to the nurserymen, and at the very first opportunity the legislation promised would bo submitted to Parliament. Reference had been made to a grievance cherished by nurserymen about the selling of trees by'a Government Department. He could assure nurserymen that the Department of Lands were not taking this matter in/ hand for fun or for pleasure, or for the purpose of injuring nurserymen in their business. The fact'was that our forest trees wero being depicted, and, looking to the future, the Government had to do ail enormous amount of planting, and would yet do much more. Not only this, but they bad to encourage planting by local bodies and landowners all over New Zealand. If young trees for planting out could be supplied by private enterprise at a reasonable price, then the Government would not compete with' nurserymen: But the Government must have trees. If. the nurserymen could supply the treos at a fair and reasonable price, the Government would take them.

A member of the deputation: We can do it.

Mr. Massey' said that when a proper opportunity ocourrea, the Orchards Bill would go "through Parliament. He attached a great deal of importance to the fruil industry, and anything_ that Parliament could do for the fruit industry should be done. He liad not considered the question of providing for instruction in horticulture at technical schools and experimental farms, but he would be very glad to give the_ matter attention, and to discuss it with the officers of the Department. But he would advise the deputation not to ask for subsidies or anything of that sort just now. He could not give any encouragement to proposals of that sort for a long time to come. We had "to sail close to the wind" for a while, but New Zealand was a good country, and would recover rapidly from the effects of tho war. Then wo would have money to spend on such projects as tho nurserymen had in mind.

Mr. Mac Donald 6aid that'regulations for the registration and inspection of nurseries had been drawn up, and had been approved by the Nurserymen's Association. All that was now required was an Order-in-Council to give effect to the regulations, and he would take tho necessary steps to have the Order made as soon as possible. Tho Orchards liill would probably be printed and cir'ciliated next session, but whether it woidd be proceeded with or not would depend on the amount of ordinary legislation to be done this year. The setting up of the Nomenclature Board would bo considered in the drawing of the Bill. With regard to technical eduoation and horticulture, he had already been in con-sultation-with the. minister of Education, and they hoped jointly to draft legislation 011 the subject.