THE HON. T. MACKENZIE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2896, 15 September 1909, Page 20

THE HON. T. MACKENZIE.

VISIT TO HAWKE'S BAY. ADVICE TO DAIRY FARMERS. HASTINGS, September 13. On Saturday the Hon. Thomas Mackenzie met a large meeting of farmers and fruit-growers, and talked over matters of interest. Regarding the small-bird pest, the Minister said the importation of small owls was illegal, they being birds of prey. He would make full investigation, and if found, advisable, would amend the law to admit of small owls being introduced. Speaking of the .establishment of seed-testing farms, the Minister said theGovernment wanted to establish one central station, from which tc supply A. and P. societies, leaving farmers to experiment further with seeds from this source. For this station he wanted to utilise the money offered by Mr Buchanan, M.P., if he would let the Government have it. He stated that he had divided the biological division, and bad told Mr Kirk to devote his whole time to fruit, while Mr Cockayne would be entrusted with the seed section. The Minister urged dairy farmers to keep down the amount of moisture in butter. The Home people wished to abolish the New Zealand Government certificate and substitute an arbitration. This would be mest serious to the dairy industry, and it was necessary for factories to export good butter, and provide the Government with sound argument against the charge being made. 'NAPIER, September 13. The Hon. T. Mackenzie received deputations to^iay, one of which urged him to use his influence in having a survey made of the route of the East Coast Railway between Napier and Gisborne. On being questioned by a reporter regarding tine date fixed for the Rangitikei election, Mr Mackenzie said the Government had not the slightest idea that it would clash with any local fixture, but it seemed to him that in future the difficulty would be to fix the date of any function without clashing with a race meeting, a football match, or a Government holi-. day. They ought, perhaps, to have -a scale drawn up of the few days which might be regarded as free from those fixtures.