N.Z. BEE-KEEPERS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2791, 8 June 1916, Page 8

N.Z. BEE-KEEPERS

it: .. ANNUAL-CONFERENCE GROWING INDUSTRY . : annual-conference of .'the National Zealand :: re ß " . " • terdaVi ' Ins the,,absence of tho president : '' vYMt.- J.'-S/i.Oottproll) /the chair ivas taken Mr. J. S. Eentoul . (Uhevipt). . . ' ■-■ ''Thft jjr'esideht's address was read'by the i'Seßritaty,'and stated that an.in- " struotion 1 to the executive to register the

association under tho Companies Act. : v -Thisf had not been done for reasoas which [".'"wotLld. be-set out in*the annual report. " Tho association was an organised; body of '" . wbrkers, . and unlike apiarists in other " parts" of tho world, welcomed new re- ■ • 'cruita to the business. ->There was a

"'steady market for New Zealand• honey, botK at home and abroad. It was (lis- :.' :;-;apj)pmting that last'season's output had —Bhown-a talling-oil. It was to be hoped ■ that-tho Government would see its way •jto re-cstabbeh a queen-reaving apiary on largo scale, whero earlyqueens !hiight : ■ ■•'-be .procni'ed. If queens were well mated • in ;tho spring the honey crop would be to an unprecedented extent.' ! . With tho suppression and control of in- ]■ r-rfeotious bee diseases, which had caused '"jiniuch loss and discouragement in -the ;• past,, a _ bright' prospect for the future - - .-.was- assured. .-1\ S. Pope, secretary of the A'gricultural,Department, briefly 'addressed -'-'ther/conference...Eo said he .was glad to ;-:*vs«ee»kdies present. The Department took '.deep* interest in the bee-keepiny indue-—-trj- . -He regretted tha,t last season ivas ' -?not so successful a one as usual. One-of • the great advantages 'of beerkeeping was --■ that -it was a clear gain •to 'the State. — Like -most agricultural products, honey -—■ did. not "take elements out of the soil,' ■ which had to be replaced by expensive r ■ manures. The industry was now at the -Btago-. when OTganisatidn and co-opera- • --tion -.were of the .greatest benefit; If. bee- ' -. .keepers kept "along co-operative lines it :-v-would he better for them and their successore. !He 4 wished the conference every • success. , v ; - -On tho motion of Mr. A. C.'Askew it j'-,. -, was decided that a special general-meet-! j ■ ing of the association be held during tho ; » course.of the conference for the purpose ; .of f registering under the Unclassified ;.. •; Societies Act. It was resolved, on the motion, of Mr. Barker, that, tho fees payable by ; the in- .' dividual members of: the association and the. amount of fees payable by branches ; , i.t<f-the National be reconsidered, and if V: .deemed advisable, Kule No. 3 bo literal ; ; /. in accordance n-ith the resolution ca.-ried iy;.. at:,the annual meeting. . , .On i:h<j motion of Mr. Brickell, it was fe 1 agreed, as .follows:—'"That this conference ;Cl of representative bee-keepers of theDominloxi recommcnd to the existing and pros- .. pective Bee-keepers' Association's of the . .Dominion the advisability of the adop- ; tion of ..a' uniform constitution under th'e nawo and title of the National Bee-keep-•V era*. Association- —Branch." - -.. - •- The following committee was appointed k ~to, give ■ effect to . tho above ;,f to make recommendations. as to the . ... relationship between branches and the ij, executiveMessrS. Gillmg, Allen, Bar..i. ker, Jacobsen,-and Vrcdde. .The -.following . papers. werereadßy Mr; .W. E. Barker, on "My Ideas'of- the .C.; .National" ;by.Mr. Hooper'Teed,-on the ex-. : : ..-:,..ecntive of the National; Association;-by !ithe; secretary, Mr. 'N. \f'. Brickell, on the

appointment of committee re branches; arid by Mr. 10. G. Ward, ou "Have tho distriot branches outlived thoir usefulness as at present constituted?" In the .discussion ivhicli .ensue<l, lir. J. Allen OYyndha'm) advocated placing the National. Association on a firm basis. It was the .only .body by means of which they could approach the Government. Tho views expressed in the papers would mean breaking, up. the , National Association. The field, days,, of course, could bo better organised by the branches than by •tho larger body. Mr. Ireland suggested. that all fees; should be forwarded to the National Association, which, got a pound for pound subsid}' from the .Goveriinient/*and could Mien pay back a larger proportion to tho branches. (Laughter.) Mr. Wedde suggested that the National Association should havo control of the finances of all the branches. The secretary could collect all te subscriptions and meet all liabilities.

Mr. Brickell, referring to a suggestion of-Mr. Teed's, said it was useless sending exhibits round at present, as there was a shortage of honey, and producers could get high prices for all they had. Mr. Askew did, not think the proposal for the centralisation of finance was practicable ; and also objected to Mr. Barker's proposal in favour of provincial executives: •

Mr. Sage (Waikato) advocated a compul : sofy time for getting in subscriptions. He had,found it difficult, as secretary for Ills district, to get these in. ; The chairman said that if the association were registered' that would get over t/ho difficulty. Members would then have to pay their subscriptions- as provided by rule,

Mr. T. W. Eirk, Director of the Horticulture Division of the Agricultural Department, in a brief address, stated that seyeral bee-keepers had informed him that they were not' able to attend the winter shows at wih-ich Government exhibits were on view. He had arranged, therefore, for selections of New Zealand and foreign samples of commercial honey being placed in tho room for members' inspection. Probably the foreign samples would be found interesting for comparison- with the Dominion product, Referring to the work of tihe past; year, he said complaints had been made that instructors did not do' a fair day's vcork, but he knew this was not correct. There were only four instructors for the entire Dominion, and -bee-keepers could not expect visits very often, The weather had been disastrous-in some.districts, and in others it had been favourable. The Auckland instructor reported that he found 250 colonies showing foul brood, in Wellington only 16tl foul brood colomes had been found. During the season each instructor had issued from 100 to 150 notices. The instructors had also rgiven- lectures and demonstrations in the various centres. He was glad'to say there had been only two - actual . prosecutions during the year. • The instructors had graded for export 6352cwt. honey iii Auckland, 1082cwt..- in Wellington, 40(Jcwt. in Canterbury and 193cwt. in Otago. The remit of the last conference asking the Government to Teport on areas suitable for apiaries. on land throw.u open for settlement had entailed a great .deal of v.ork. Winter. shows had also taken up much time of the Department, lie hoped to see a" mating-cage erected, ot tlie .Government'farm. The desirability of establishing a queen-rearing apiary had b'een suggested, and it was considered that. Tauranga would be an ideal.spot for such. It was proposed to issue regulations to prevent. tho transport of diseased bees, also for the general/regulation .of tlio'. industry. The beekeepers were-doing their, best to-carry: out the regulations in force. Ho hoped to be able to get-a few more inspectors soon, and it was intended to appoint local inspectors 'amongst file beekeepers. ■ Mr.- Sage moved; "That inspectors bo asked to keep a more rigid look-out fir box-hives, in order to prevent foul brood." Mr. Hobbs seconded the motion. Mr. Nelson- said, the only way to deal with foul brood was to. register all hives , of bees. The motion was rejected, it bel?g ten; erally considered that the' Department was doing its best to deal with the trouble. Mr. Brickell moved: "That a deputation wait upon the Minister of 'Agriculture and urge the'appointment of !wo additional apiary instructors for ; he Dominion." : 1 Mr. Jaoobsen seconded the motion, wl'lch. was agreed to. Oil the motion of Mr. J. Allen, it wa\ resolved that the Government be recom-' mended to establish a State apiary in the South Island. "Mr. Kirk said the State aphrry would be conducted' on experimental lines and for teaching'purposes. It could not be expected to pay, not boing -run on commercial lines. . . On the motion of Mr. Allen'it was <iV cided.that the Government be asked lo push forward the work - of registering apiaries. Mr. Allen moved: "That the~ Bluff be jgazetted as a grading port for the export ■ honey." . If it were necessary to .choose between the Bluff and Dune.lin, it would.be better to leave out;Dnneilin. Mr. Ireland seconded the motion. Mr. Kirk said there were already six grading ports, and it would be impossible to work another with the present staff.

It might be possible to substitute the Bluff for Dunedin. The former port 'vas more convenient for honey producers. Mr. Jacobsen moved as an amendment that the Bluff bo made tho grading port tor tho south in place of JJunedm. After., considerable discussion, tho motion was carried. j

A motion by Mr. Gilling that tlio interests of the industry would be better served were the Government subsidy transferred to the New Zealand Co-operative Honey Producers' Association for organisingl purposes' gave rise to considerable Several speakers pointed cut that the National Beekeepers' Association was devoted to the general advancement of the honey-producing industry, and was not in any sense a trading concern. The discussion was proceeding when the conference adjourned until to-day.