WHO SAID INSPECTORS?

Shannon News, 7 August 1928, Page 4

WHO SAID INSPECTORS?

Jocular reference to the over-inspec-tion which afflicts the farmer was made by a speaker at Palmerston North last week. He recounted the experience of a who was visited by four inspectors in one day—inspecting a shed, a hive of bees, a pear tree, and weeds. They were followed by a policeman with a summons concerning -the bees, and later there came a summons for a breach of the Arms Act, and a prosecution for contravening the motor regulations. The speaker did not mention whether this all occurred on Friday, the 13th —but, any.way, it was not the farmer's lucky day. There is, however a serious side to the.story, writes a correspondent. Are w:e" over-inspect-ed? At times'it may seem so, both in town, and country. Life is exceedingly complicated by regulations for this and by-laws for that. With the farmer, however, much of the regulation and inspection has introduced by his own desire. Commercial beekeepers arid orchardists have sought and obtained inspection for their own protection. Sometimes this may appear to be carried to ridiculous lengths in the inspection of a single hive of bees or a quar-ter-acre orchard; but experienced producers know that it is just in the odd corners that the danger lurks. The neglected hive owned by a man who is inexperienced and has only that hive tOjid.se, may spread foul brood, and numerous blights may find sanctuary in the cottage orchard. Inspection, of course, is not always unwelcome. The careful farmer has come to regard the inspectors as instructors, anxious to help him out of difficulties. As the standard of farming is raised the instruction will be more important than the inspection. It can always be made so now if the farmers themselves realise their duty to their neighbours, so that the success of the thorough agriculturalist is not threatened by the negleet of an adjoining owner who gives noxious weeds, rabbits and pests generally a good start.