MAINLY NON-COMMITTAL.

Shannon News, 4 October 1927, Page 4

MAINLY NON-COMMITTAL.

AGRICULTURAL MINISTER’S REPLIES TO FARMERS’ UNION.

A SHEAF OF REMITS DISPOSED

Replies by the Minister of Agriculture (Hon. O. J. Hawken) to remits passed at the Dominion conference of the Farmers’ Union were received at the meeting of the Manawatu provincial executive in Levin on Saturday. While they do not indicate any immediate departures from existing methods and policies, they contain much interesting information, such, for example, as the statement that the Department view's with strong disfavour the importation of any produce containing weevils. The replies are as under: — NOXIOUS WEEDS.

With reference to the remit which deals with the subject of the formation of Noxious Weeds Boards, or the appointment of Rabbit Board Inspectors as noxious weeds inspectors, final consideration of these proposals must stand over until the Noxious Weeds Amendment Bill has been dealt with and its effect in actual operation (if it is passed) can be fully gauged. FIRE BLIGHT.

Following on the first outbreak of fireblight in the Auckland province, when the Fireblight Act w'as being prepared, the question of compensating owners of hedges that w'ould require to be destroyed owing to their being affected w'ith the disease, w'as fully considered, and it w'as held that the State could not reasonably assume responsibility. Regarding the cutting-back of hawthorn hedges as against their complete eradication, such cutting-back is now' accepted in areas where such treatment is held to be a sufficient safeguard, but in circumstances where the disease is liable to have infected any percentage of the hedge below' the height at which it would be topped, such topping w'ould be useless, as one plant so infected w'ould provide sufficient contaminating material to infect practically the whole district in the proper season. The complete destruction of hedges is called for only after the disease has made its appearance in a fruit area, and then rarely throughout the whole area, but only in those sections where it ha 3 advanced to a dangerous degree and is likely to do considerable damage. The Department and the Minister have every sympathy with the farmer in this matter, and only take action where absolutely necessary, but farmers in general situated within, declared commercial fruit areas would be well advised if they took advance action in the direction of cutting and trimming their hedges annually prior to the disease making its appearance. TIMBER PESTS.

The question of what action is necessary to prevent the introduction of insect pests in imported timbers is now' under consideration. WILD PIGS.

Arrangements have been made to continue the payment of the bonus for the destruction of wild pigs.

STOCK FOODS

With regard to the request that a Stock Food Act be placed on the Statute Book to obviate the possibility of adulteration of stock foods, the Government appreciates the necessity for some legislation of this nature. The Minister regrets, however, that the amount of legislation which has already been prepared for submission to Parliament will preclude the possibility of such a Bill being brought forward this session. SPEYED CATTLE. Respecting the requested compulsory branding of speyed cattle, it is obvious that if a brand were set aside as the distinguishing mark of such animals, it would be necessary to obtain a list of all persons in the Dominion who are qualified to undertake the operation and who should be authorised'to apply the brand, for it is obvious that to allow, the brand to be used by any person claiming to undertake this work would not be in the best interests of the farmers.. It would, however, be an extremely difficult matter to prepare a list of all those in the Dominion who are qualified to spey cattle; and even if such a list were made up, the Government would have no guarantee that the use of the brand would not be extended beyond legitimate cases. The Minister regrets that he cannot see his way to take action in the desired direction at present: but with regard to the request that the Depart-, ment recognise speying as a legitimate operation, so far as he was aware the Department had never refused to do so. DEHORNED CATTLE. The conference having asked that none but dehorned cattle be allowed to be offered for sale in any public saleyard or to be trucked after January Ist, 1930, the Minister advises that a Bill has been prepared providing for the dehorning of all cattle other than registered purebred animals. He had hoped to introduce the Bill during the current session of Parliament, but owing to the heavy legislative programme he regrets that he will be unable to do so. ROYALTIES ON TIMBER. With regard to the resolution suggesting a reduction of the royalties on fencing timber, the Minister states that more definite information is necessary to enable this resolution to be considered. FROZEN MEAT ON LOCAL MARKETS.

A remit having been passed that the Government be approached with a view to compelling New Zealand butchers to label frozen meat offered by them for sale as such, the Minister states that all matters relating to the sale of foods are dealt with by the Public Health Department, and the remit in question is therefore being referred to the Minister in Charge of that Department for his consideration.

“Do you sconsider that the Agricultural Department is worth its keep?” asked Mr Lethbridge when this statement wa3 read at the meeting. “That is rather a hard question to

answer, V said the chairman (Mr Lynch). “The ramifications of the Agricultural Department are very great. While Dr. Reakes is at the head they must be doing some good.” COOL STORAGE IN LONDON. The Government was asked to pass legislation that produce requiring cool storage from New Zealand for export pass through the New Zealand cool stores in London, when such are established. The Minister considers that until such time as the works are established and it is demonstrated that the powers now vested in the various Control-Boards are not sufficiently wide to enable them to control the question of cool storage, consideration of legislation on the lines suggested might well remain in abeyance. MEAT AND DAIRY BOARDS. With reference to the remit asking that commercial interests be eliminated from the Meat and Dairy Boards, the Minister advises that so long as the compulsory provisions of the Act remain, it is considered that all interests concerned are entitled to representation on the Boards, and it is not proposed to amend the Acts in the direction suggested by the remit. PROPRIETARY FREEZING WORKS In regard to the remit protesting against a proposal to extend killing space and other facilities at the freezing works owned by overseas interests, the Minister states that the views of the conference have been noted and will be borne in mind when any application from proprietary freezing works for extending facilities is under consideration. FOREIGN OATS. As to The remit urging that the importation of Chilean and other foreign oats be prohibited, the Minister states that an examination of the import statistics shows that only once during the past 10 years has any importation of oats taken place from Chile, this being in 1926, when some 17,333 centals -were imported. This formed part of a special cargo which had been lifted by a company which was testing the possibilities of establishing a shipping line with Chile and embracing New Zealand. The oats proved unsatisfactory, and it is considered highly improbable that any further attempt will be made to import further supplies from that country. The only other foreign country from- which oats were imported during the period named was the United States, which supplied 448 centals in 1924 and 11 centals in 1926. The Government is of opinion that no useful purpose would be served by the imposition of jthe prohibition .asked for, but the matter will be closely watched and the question given further consideration should there be any material change in the position. WEEVIL-INFECTED MAIZE. With reference to the remit protesting against the importation of maize affected with weevil, the Minister points: out that for many years past weevil has been widespread throughout the Dominion. The Department views with strong disfavour the im-

portation of any produce which contains weevil or any other insect, but as weevil is to be found in many other articles of commerce imported into the Dominion, the making of prohibiting regulations would constitute a really serious matter. The best solution of the problem would appear to be for the Dominion to become self-supporting in respect of its maize requirements.