BOARD OF AGRICULTURE

Hokitika Guardian, 10 July 1924, Page 4

BOARD OF AGRICULTURE

VAIUOUS SUHJECTS DISCUSSED

At the last meeting of the Hoard of held nt Wellington, a letter from the Director-General regarding inspection of imported elialf was discussed. Memhers thought there was great need of further legislation to give power to tho Department to order any eluiff, which on examination was found to contain quantities of rubbish and seeds of weeds, to be destroyed, if necessary, or to be subjected to thorough cleaning so as to free it from deleterious seeds. Jt was dee-

idl'd tii ask the .Minister to give further powers to inspectors to deal with (half, seeds and plants found likely to bring weed-seeds and diseases to the Dominion.

At letter from the Minister of Agriculture stated that, in response to a request from the Hoard, a considerable quantity of finely-ground Nauru prosphatn, which would pass through a sieve 1-0 meshes to the inch, had been procured and widely distributed over i lie Dominion, through the offic-ors of the Dcpartmenl. This would he experimented with oil various classes of soils in different climates to ascertain whether it was a suitable form of phosphate for use for top-dressing. The Hoard expressed its entire concurrence with the provisions ol the Stallions Hill, and it was decided In urge that it should without tail he passed during the present session. The question as to whether the Wool Committee could he reappointed was referred to the. Hoard. The opinion was expressed that the committee had done very good work in allocating the quantity of wool for sale in each district and that it would lie well Mini it should ho continued. A resolution was passed that such a. committee should lie set up, consisting of two members, to represent the sheejmwners, lo lie appointed by the Shcep-

owners’ Federation and the Defence Committee of the Farmers' Union in I the Wellington province, two appointed , by the Wool Brokers’ Association, and . one farmer to he nominated by the , Government. Il was elicited front the ! Director-General that the Minister of Agriculture was considering the question of the estnUishiiibeiit of a Dairy , Research Laboratory, and the Board expressed the hope that it would not , be long delayed. , A letter was received Irom the Bradford Chamber of Commerce. |Miinting p out the loss sustained by fibres of jute from the wool packs which, on unI packing, had become mixed witli tbe wool. These fibres could not he delected timil the yarns were dyed and tlie cost of picking them out of the cloth was a very considerable yearly expense. 1 1 was suggested by the , writer tliaL paper linings should lie used, and these should he partially I paid for hy the buyer. The Board came to the conclusion that if the inside of the pack was singed, as was the case with the oiil.-ide. il might be a remedy, and a trial would be made by reversing the side- of the wool pack The Director of Agriculture agreed to , procure from the Mataurn Baper Mills a paper lining to experiment with, mi as to ascertain whether the suggestion was feasible in practice and cost. 1 1 was also reported that experiments: were being made to manufacture a pack woven from wool so as to entirely remedy damage from jute fibre, but ibis bad not yet reached the practical si age.