BEEKEEPING.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 March 1926, Page 3

BEEKEEPING.

AN INTER EsiTMJ. ADDRESS. CM JSTCI LURCH, .March I. An. address on “Beekeeping in Other Lands.” in which special reference was made to British and New Zealand conditions, was given by Mr M. A. Bright. l .Ii.M.S.. F.K.G.n., at a meeting of the National Beekeepers’ Asoeiation on Saturday night. The chairman (Mr W. B. Bray) said that it was the first occasion that the association had had the opportunity of hearing an address from anybody outside tliis country. He remarked on the fact that .Mr Bright had come from the Old Country with, the intention of taking up beekeeping in New Zealand. It was hardly realised by the hulk of the people that honey was going to waste for the want of bees to gather it. The time would come when beekeeping would stand on a much better footing, hut at present there were not nearly enough bees kept properly. In opening his address Mr Bright. 011 behalf of the Apts Club, expressed sympathy with N*ew Zealand beekeepers in the loss they had sustained through the death of Mr Hopkins (who was 11 vice-president of the Apis Club). Mr Bright’s address dealt with conditions of the beekeeping industry in Gloat Britain, British Columbia and France, and he also commented on aspects of the New Zealand beekeeping as they lui ( | impressed hjm during li is stay. ‘ He said that beekeeping in Great Britain was more backward than in any other country he had seen, and because of the handicaps lie had decided to give up beekeeping tliere and come to New Zealand. Advancement at Home was held up by conservative ideas, and the only hope was to get younger people and to instil into them the new ideas. I here "yis a lack of legislation to assist the indus-

try, and the main underlying reason was a sort of inherent dislike ol interference with the liberty of the subject. Fie thought that it would be some time beioro bee disease legis ation was introduced in Great Britain, until it came in there was no uiuncement for anyone to take up neekeeping. After referring to the various diseases at Home, Mr Eng ' said that diseased bees could be moved anywhere. New Zealand honey on the market was shown very nicely, and since the first days of Wembley New Zealand honev had gone ahead, l-ioin what ho had seen in the Dominion he thought beekeepers at Home nngi well afford to take a trio out to see what was being done. 1 hey looked <■ New Zealand as the foremost ol I lie apienltural world. ■ After a general discussion on vaimas points concerning the indiistrv - 1 Bi.rht was accorded a vote ol thanks. His offer to give a microscopical <Unionstration was accepted with 1 ' "j. Mi• Bright was elected a membe, o the association. the am'-' being made that he intended to settle in Canterbury. Tho chairman introduced tn. J tion of collecting funds to establish a memorial for the late Mr Isaac Ko - kins. who had been acknowledged as the father of New Zealand beekeeniiig. Ho referred to the work winch - Hopkins had done on behalf ol >eekeepers. and urged members to support the movement.