BOARD OF AGRICULTURE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3065, 28 April 1917, Page 12

BOARD OF AGRICULTURE

BUSINESS AT RECENT MEETING The Board of Agriculture held a lengthy meeting on Wednesday, and dealt with many important matters. A reply was received to the' communication which Lad been sent to the Hon. Minister: of Agriculture, urging that a special officer should! be detailed , ! to conduct a full investigation of the , methods, of distribution of club-root disease; and/to investigate the rotting of turnips in the South Island. It tv as stated that the matter was being gone into by the. Department's expert officers as fully as circumstances would 'permit, and that: the board's recommendation as to a special officer being devoted /largely to the work would have careful consideration, and would, it found practicable in the present circumstances, be given effect to. ..Training Boys.. As letter was' 1 received from the director and secretary of the Christ(.hurch Technical College, pointing out that there were some forty boys taking the agricultural course at the Technical High School, and the Agricultural Committee of the Technical College Board of Governors felt that it would be a great advantage to have some assistance from, the Department of Agnculture in instructing the boys. , The Board of Governors had experimental plots and an orchard for the purpose of practical instruction/ and hoped shortly to be-in a position to appoint a specialist who would not only be able.to take charge of the agricultiual course, hut also to give instruction in suitable centres throughout the district.. The committee was desirous of having the support of the Board of Agnculture-in its endeavour to obtain occasional'lectures and demonstrations to the boys at the'high school by the specialists attached to the Department of Agriculture in Christchurch. After conferring with Mr. Pope,. Secretary of Agnculture, .on' the matter, who expressed sympathy with the proposal, .it uas decided to replv that while the Department could not undertake to give a regular- course of instruction, arrangements might be made for some of the Departmental officers in Christchurch to give occasional lectures and demonstrations to the boys, as desired by the committee. .

. Sales of Stock. •'"; A number of replies were received, ''in response to the circular letter sent "out by the board,-to the various breeders' . associations in the Dominion, "(Urging that steps should be taken to ; prevent any stock being sold as stud stock in Australia and other countries, ••unless accompanied by a certificate of 'pedigree from the Breed Associations '! for the animals registered therewith. • ■jPracticailya.il the replies received sup--the suggestions of the board, :■ and expressed the opinion that some legislation should be passed >to give effect to the proposals of the breeders in 'regard to this matter, and to empower breeders' associations to refuse export certificates if the stock, were not up to . the standard. '

The Poultry Industry.^ '* Mr. Gallichan, president of the New - Zealand Poultry Association, waited on . the board, and laid before the members v the views of that body as to what might be done to. improve the position ■of the poultry industry of the Domin-

ion. A lengthy discussion ensued on the various suggestions put forward by Mr. Gallichan. Mr. Pope, Secretary of Agriculture, and Mr. F. Brown, .Chief Poultry Instructor of the Department of Agriculture, wove present at the discussion, and expressed their willingness to do all in their power to give effect to the suggestions that had ■been made in the direction of improving tho-industry. Mr..Brown pointed out that the first stop necessary was to increase the egg production. It was decided to hold a further mooting with the executive of the Poultry Association prior to the conference ci poultry men, which it is proposed should take place in Wellington in July next.

Afforestation. Mr. D. E. Hutchins, I'.R.U.S., furnished the board with some interesting particulars concerning the afforestation question, detailing what had been done with regard to the demarcation of the AVaipoua Forest in the Hokianga district, and i what steps should be taken to preserve and regenerate the remaining bush country in the Dominion.

Analyses of Limestone. A number of reports on analyses of various specimens of limestone were received. The specimens which had been collected in Mokau, Awakino, and Mahoenui districts were kindly forwarded by Mr. Morgan, Director of the Geological Survey Office, who has rendered the board much assistance in connection with this and other matters. Quotations were also received from tlio proprietor of a lime-kiln at Hauturu (Kawhia) for the various grades of lime turned out from the works. It wab decided to make further inquiries regarding these prices before going further into the matter of the Railway Department's "regulations in connection with, the carriage of lime for agricultural purposes' at reduced rates.

Board's Term Expiring. As the board's term of office shortly expires (it having held office for three years in terms of the Board of Agriculture Act, 1913), a lengthy report detailing what had been done, and the recommendations made by'it since it first met was drawn up for submission to the Hon. Minister of Agriculture. Amongst other mattere dealt with were: —Proposed legislation in regard to imported seeds; American Meat Trust; suggested restrictions on the. removal of cattle affected with contagious abortion; improvement of the dairy herds, and the milk supply of the Dominion; and the necessity for doing everything .practicable, even during the war, to stimulate the fullest development of the natural resources of the Dominion.