AGRICULTURAL CONFERENCE

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1514, 24 July 1905, Page 3

AGRICULTURAL CONFERENCE

Tho Agricultural Societies Conference uoait with the following subjects UNCLEAN SEED/ ' Mr Tate said while they wore clearing noxious \vocd3 with one hand they wore sowing with the other. Withont some guarantee from the vendor they would always bo open to fresh importations. Ho moved, and Mr X>. D. Mr\ciarlaco seconded, *• That the Ministor foe Lands be urged to bring forward the Seeds Bill 1 £his sossion, so as to allow publication of full particulars of the testing of seeds and analyses of manures, and prevent tho sale Of inferior and unclean seeds.** Mr Kirk said tho analyses he bad mado yoar af;er year showed than it was absolutely necessary Co do something to protect the farmers.

Mr Beefchaui said to force people to spend thousands in trying t) eradicate noxious weeds was futile persecution. The weeds had oorno 60 stay. Mr Kirk rejoined that that was all the more reason why they should take stops to prevent them from being sold, and so spreading. Mr W. Perry said he hailed the Bill with delight. Farmers were afraid to go outside to buy grass seed from districts Where there were weeds. Mr Dick said a matter th&s was almost more important was tho improvement of seeds by selection. By this means tho /'wheat crop in Canada had been increased by 18£ per coot., which meant nearly £2,000,000 to a single State.

Tho motion was carried. Mr .Ritchie promised so publish as a leaflet a paper by Mr E. Hall oa tho subject of “ The ImprcvL-mjot of Seeds.” BUBAL ED CCATION. The Chairman reported that the Education Committee had had a meeting on Wednesday evening, and on Thursday met the Minister and suggested to him the names of soma . persons they thought would be fitted for the positions of teachers. The Minister agreed on the urgausy of the matter, and promised to do what he jsossibly could. Hs nad arranged with Mr tfi. McNab, M.H.8., to keep the matter iSefore she Premier, and he suggested shat tho Education Committee should be a permanent one, sc as to help on the movement.

The Chairman also mentioned that a valuable deposit of phosphatic rock had been discovered in the centre of an agricultural district. It ran up to 75 per cent., and he bad urged the Government to see that it was at once purchased. He referred appreciatively to the excellent work chafe was being done by the agricultural statistician (Mr E. B. Bucdekin) in the compilation 01 leafless, and deplored She fact that the Agricultural Department and tee museum were stowed away on the 30p floor of the Customs Buildings, instead of having a separate building of their own. He thought the conference ■ should make Home representation on this matter. Both the Education and Experimental Committees were made permanent to report to the next conference.

SMALL BIRDS.

Mr McMillan to add 44 and at f.tated periods’* co the motion notified cn email birds, which now provided for cha [payment of uniform prices and the taking |cf the proposed steps at uniform times. [ Mr Macfariane said although the towns jwere the breeding placos of the birds they jgetoffecoa free; all the expense fell on (the country districts. He believed that Ibath urban and rural districts should ba gincrgedI Mr B. Smith hoped th 9 North Island ■would go into the mister with more karnestness. In some placos the nuisance ■was very bad. I Mr Welch said it was impossible to arrow crops in Che North Island in small batches. To sow grass on patches in the Eush wa3 throwing the seed away, the blackbird and cue ’ thrush should be

Bided. r H. Overton said farmers in tho h suffered tremendous loss. They to pat their crops in whon their abours did, not when they wanted to. r Beetham aaid the blackbirds last had attacked five acres of grapes and snly enougn for 10 bogsheada of wine, ca there should have been 40. r T. W. Adams said if more trees I planted tho loss from birds would oe so bud perhaps, because other food

to be found in plantations. ■ Mr Kirk referred to the remarkable

ucrease of sparrows that had been ascerainsd from experiments in tbe North aland. Mr Ritchie said tbe main principle m he Bill was systematic operation—upon hat tbe whole thing depended. The motion was passed in the following ! orm: “ Tuat tho Government be urged o so amend the Small Birds Act that hers be ft uniform system and time in Jach district to destroy small birds ; to iscure uniform action in the boroughs and he adjoining districts ; to brmg the North xland within the provisions oi the Act, end to induce local bodies to purchase the reads and eggs of small birds ad a uniform price and at stated times.