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Hokitika Guardian, 18 July 1917, Page 2

The Council of Agriculture at a meeting at Wellington last week in the course of its sitting was addressed by Sir Joseph Ward, who referrod to the importance of the producing' powers of the Dominion- Unless the best results were obtained from the soil, they not pay their way. The whole community should work unitedly so that the Empire should emerge from the war triumphant, and the rpepdom of New Zealand he preserved. Friction nnd sectional warning had been dropped in the Old Country, in face of the common foo and in the interests of civilisation. Great sacrifices had been made, and would have to be made yet. j He felt certain the Allies would come through the war victors. Rather, than Germaaiy should realise her ambitions New Zealand would put ..forth it 8 utmost strength to secure the, freedom it enjoyed. Dealing with financial problems, ho said the Goverunmont had . a formidable task ahead to provide for the current, year. If the, war were prolonged, the burden would be still, greater next year. .They wore in a position they had never been in before, and, he trusted never would be in again. Ho felt sure, however, that all were animated by the one to get the best that was possible for the fountry, and to create as little djs-

turbanco as possible. Only in this way could they ensure a solid foundation* to the well-being of the Dominion. The Motherland had sunk class distinctions and diverse opinions for this subject. The conference in the course of its deliberations resolved to ask Government to give effect to the • recommendation of <the Efficiency Board with regard to oion-essential industries, and to divert labour to the production of clothing and foodstuffs; to set up a committee to report .on the institution of one Dominion stud book; to prevent the shipment of animals of inferior quality, calculated “to bring discredit on New Zealand; that it was desirable that further research work iin agricultural chemistry should be carried out and encouraged by tho Government, and abolition of the excess profits tax, and in place thereof- suggested that a graduated income tax should be increased.

The New Zealand Forestry League, of which Sir James G. Wilson is president and Mr. F. W. Furkett is hon. secretary, lias issued a report. It contains tho following statement:—“New Zealand, like most other places, in the early days of settlement, ret small, store by the valuable asset contained in its forests. The exigencies of settlement induced the destruction of millions of timber trees within a, comparatively few years, which, under natural conditions, took centuries to come to maturity. There always ha» been a few who strenuously opposed this policy of destruction, and who, so far as lay in their power, did nil they know to prevent it; or to counteract it by planting exotics and by advocating a policy of conservation. The greatly-increased demand for timber for commercial purposes has aroused a deep concern in regard to need for conserving the remaining areas of forest to avoid an actual scarcity of timber for our requirements. It was felt that the only way to accomplish this was to create a strong public opinion on the point, hence the establishment of the league.”

The following amending regulation under the Military Servico Act, relating to home servico is gazetted: “Until the Minister of Defence shall otherwise direct, soldiers of the home service branch who are required for - actual home service shall l>o called up from those only who volunteer for such actual home service under the Military Service Act, 1916, has committed an offence under the said Act, or th 0 Army Act, and who may be subsequently transferred from the Foreign Service Branch to the Home Service Branch of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, under paragraph (b) of there regulations, may be compulsorily employed on nctual home service. Volunteers belonging to such trades or occupations ns may from time to time bo specified by the Minister of Defence shall not" be accepted for actual home service.