LIVE STOCK AND THE FARM

Southland Times, Issue 18840, 5 June 1920, Page 7

LIVE STOCK AND THE FARM

L> impress something new into the heads of tlie farmers in the southern end of this inland is in itself a problem difficult to to solve. As a general rule he ha.? made for himself u comfortable home and an independence which places him beyond the reach of the experimentalist. What has happened in America, or Australia, or even the North Island of New Zealand does not seem to make a lasting impression on him, but he will never forget whose ram won the championship at his local show, or whose cow gave the record yield for the season in

his particular district. Realising that this | state of affairs exists down south the Department has seen lit to come right here into the midst of a prosperous, thrifty settlement for the purpose of demonstrating what ensilage really is. How often, Mr Farmer, have you walked round your farm in December and January and looked with pride on tiiat paddock of grass or clovers and wished you could have it there in August or September, nr again looked with annoyance on that patch of thistles and all those spare corners where the plough never I reaches :utd have wondered what to do wi-h them. Take a lesson from the thrifty housewife who does not stared agape in her orchtud wondering whenever she will manage to use all those plums and pears that are fast ripening. She gets busy at once and with very little trouble has all the surplus put away into preserving Jars to dish up later on, fresh and sweet, to her household at the time when this food is mn-t appreciated. In a like manner can the farmer preserve his surplus summer fodder and got rid of that patch of thistles and the grass growing in those odd corners and serve the whole up to his stock, fresh and sweet, at that time of the year when it will be most appreciated. 1 really believe that oar farmers admit the value of ensilage, in .America or even Taranaki, but I want to convince him of the value of it in Southland, where, in the summer we have a most luxuriant growth of grasses anti crops, but the spring grasses are so late that his most anxious time is that period between the end of his turnips and the October grasses. When the milk cheek dwindles away to nothing and his ewes are feeding their lambs. Naturally, tile farmer asks himself numerous questions, many of which he has to enquire further about. One question I trust he will be persistent about, is

"How to make Knsiiagc ?” Should 1 ask for expert advice or ran I go on my own ’ Hither way, Mr Farmer, if you are our. to improve your stock and increase .your hunk account. You ran scarcely go wrong, nor can you put the wrong stuff into your stack, only remember this point: You don't put Californian thistles into your stack and take out clover. Cattle and sheep will rat ensilage made out of thistles and enjoy it, hut they will derive much more benefit from ensilage made from rioters, oats, tares etc. I tio not propose to go into details about the building of ensilage stacks at present. I merely wish to create an active interest in this invaluable fodder, and if I have impressed a dozen of you then I have not, written in vain. Whr.t is the value of ti good grass paddock in summer when everyone round you has the same. Just double that and you have what ensilage is worth to you in late winter and early spring. Let the stud breeder estimate' the value of having fodder like this with which to get his slock on the way for the shows. Let the farmer estimate the returns he wyl get out of awkward corners and roadsides, yes, even the. noxious weeds will show a return when treated like this. Put into your stark every pound of surplus summer feed, don't hesitate to grow special crops for the purpose, and iinove all don't hesitate to teed it out again and see what, your stock thinks about it. it is good value for the labour expended and will prove a boon to farmers, great and small. The weather has nothing to do with it because vou can e..rrv mi ...

rain or sunshine, it is not altogether a dry day job, but a job for every dap. In this part of the country the weather is an important factor anti so often intenrres with harvesting and haymaking bur here is something you can do irrespective of (he weather. Now then. Mr Funner, if you arc suliieiently interested to a.-k further par liculars there are those here who can, and will, gladly supply same. I am out to help you, help ymu-tif, and the making of ensilage is a sound proposition. lire appearance of a disease m sojt turnips new to Southland is causing the Department of Agriculture in Invercargill some anxiety and specimens of turnips af-fected-by the disease have been (toward to llovcrnment experts for ideniiluvtion. The disease made its appearance in a small crop owned hy Mr T. Kubala, Mataura, apd has practically ruined o(i per cent, of his soft turnip crop. The aura sown was .omul and a large quantity of manure u-ed. something like <1 cut. to the acre being sown. The seed used was Lincoln Red. Imperial 'ocfiitop and Linn; on King swede, and file preparation was the ordinary faint ireatment, the seed bod being good without excessive moisture, 1 die oisex-e did not affect swedes unless they happened to he growing among the soft turnip,s, showing that the soft turnips were more susceptible to attack. The form the disease lakes is to attack the bulb and cause a rancorous' growth winch looks mo.-t repulsive, and ami hud,on:- numcious maggot; which eat the bulb, completely destroying its food value. in many of the lu lips affected the tops when nulie 1 osnc aw iv like a skull cal'! leaving a bulb that was simp!;,- a mas.'

of pus, in which numerous maggots existed. It was evident from the specimens forwarder! that the disease originated in the soil as the infection invariably commenced on the external part of the htilh, at or l;*low the ground line. The shav.s and roots were little abetted, end the latter we-e strong and healthy at the tap. The a;ea infeci.M with disease is one in which turnips were sown last season without any .sign of disease. The Department of Agriculture is anxious to obtain any further information chant the disease, and asks any fanners, who have noticed anything of the same nature in their crops to report the out!) eak immn.lately, even if it he only one or two turnips that are affected. The disease is a serious one and should it obtain anything of a hold in Southland it will have far reaching effects, ami make the provision of winter feed very difficult, because the Southland fanner depends largely upon his winter crop of soft turnips to tide him over that period when gras.- is scarce. The oiigin of the disease is a mystery, but soil samples have been also forwarded in the hope that something may he discovered in the soil to give a cine to the sou.ee of infection. With such a disease threatened it behoves the Southland fat mers to keep a close watch upon their turnip crops, and ensure that, any further crops affected will be notified as soon as the outbreak is noticed.

For fomc time past the Government has been facet] with the possible depiction of the cuttle herds of the dominion, a depiction likely to bo caused by the indiscriminate slaughter of young calves almost at birth. With a view to finding a remedy for this staff of things, the Agricultural Department has been endeavouring to evolve a scheme for rearing calves on a modicum of milk supplemented by other foods, and it is satisfactory '.o note that the experiments which have been carried on simultaneously both at the Ruakura ami Weraroa State farms have proved successful. Mr J. L. Bruce (superintendent of experimental farms) has a most interesting article on the result of the cxi>erimems in the last

ENSILAGE. A NEW TURNIP DISEASE. Calf Feeding Experiments. SOUTH ISLAND DAIRY ASSOCIATION MEETS. BY “HARVESTER."

issue of (he New Zealand Journal of Agriculture. He points out that the present development of (he dairy industry’ "> New Zealand on lines which absorb the whole of ; the milk or involve the extraction of prnc- . tically all feeding ma for therefrom is bringing about a posit.on whirh threatens j both dairying itself and beef production, j The rearing of calves is now one of the : main problems confronting our dairy' fanni crs. With the diminution in the supply of ; skim milk and even ordinary whey, it has become more and more necessary to turn to ; other foods. The present high prices of ! such feeding stuffs, if all purchased outside, may make rearing with (heir aid comI paratively expensive, but a great many more dairy farmers could anti should grow the necessary farm crops, such as oats, linseed, and beans for use on the farm. The dairyman must consider his future herd, and as a rule it will be sound economy for him to save and rear well at least his best heifer calves. The ordinary run of calves could also be profitably reared by the system ol feeding here dealt with, but in their case the feeding seems likely to develop in the near future into a special and separate business on large-scale lines. With the object of obtaining reliable local data regarding the extent to which supplementary foods (mainly home-grown i can be profitably substituted for mill; and whey, a scheme of feeding tests, combined with the best practice in calf-rearing generally, was undertaken at the Department's experimental farms during the past season. In each case 16 calves, most of which would otherwise have been slaughtered for their, skins, were purchased soon after birth, divided into four groups of four each, and fed strictly on the respective dietary assigned to each group, the period of the test being weeks. The results of the tests are instructive, and go to show that the produce of the dairy can be very largely eliminated from the dietary’ of calves. There have been no deaths, and at the time of writing the calves are in excellent health and compare well with others reared mainly- on milk. In regard to general rearing practice, the writer is more than ever convinced that the

"ancient calf-paddock” has been responsible for more ailments: in cattle than possibly any other cause. It is essential that it be abolished and replaced by clean, new grass pasture, preferably limed when sown down, no matter what the dietary of the calves may be. The calves used for the tests- at the Rttakura harm of Instruction at Hamilton were 16 non-pedigree heifers under a week old, purchased in the local saleyards at a cost of a few shillings each, and representative of the ordinary grade stock which came into the market. They comprised 12 shorthorns and four short-horn-Jersey crossbreds. All the calves were weighed on the same day, and then divided into groups of four, according to their weight. The variation in the total weights of the various groups was only 21b. so that all lots commenced practically at the same mark. For the first month the calves were shedded at night, and were fed three times daily in separate bails. They had a clean run on fresh pasture composed of Western Wolths ryegrass and red clover sown the previous season, and clean witter and a salt-lick were always within their reach. The calves were first given one tablcspoor.ful of castoroil. and for the first two weeks were fed on new milk, and at the cud of that period on the dietaries which follow:

Group I ; Whole milk Sib per day for tiro weeks; whole linseed, Soz; flour 2oz, plus skim milk 15ih per <!:iy for hi weeks. The result was that the weight of the four animals increased from. .'Join t.o 107111 1 in the 17 weeks, which represented ;ir. average daily gain lor each calf of 1.611b. The total cost of food per head during the vesting was £1 14/11. Group 2: Whole milk S!b per day for two wee!;?, linseed meal 7toz, bean meal 12nz, plus skim milk Sib pier day for two weeks, after which this was replaced by water for the remainder of (he 17 weeks. The total gain in weight of the four animals was tis!;ib, an average daily gain of l.hf'gb per head, the total cost of food per head being £1 S/11. Group 3: Whole milk Sib per day for two weeks, oatmeal So-., crushed, linseed 4oz, plus skim mdk l.'i'o per day for 15 weeks, The four calves gamed 7331b in weight, an average daily gain of 1.511b per head, the total cost os lood per head being ill 19/(iV. Group 4 : Whole milk Sib per day for two weeks, crushed liiwrd floa. plus sk-m milk 15ib per day for 15 weeks, 'ihe total weight gained by the calves was S47lb, or a daily gain by each animal of 1.7711). ihe total cost, of food per head being 5-1 1 l/ii. The above shows that the dry (pushed linseed added to skim u.:lk gate tho bsst results. This

i alien requires no preparation, and consequently rri-iiirc less labour. The calves carried good condition throughout, but (hr other did not have the glossy skins so not .reside in group There i= not the !■-■•) r doubt that (he oatmeal and crushed linseed porridge gave the calves a better appearance. The results of the tests conducted at the Weraroa Central development Farm, where the calves we;e treat -I under practically similar conditions were as follow: -Grotto 1: Whole miik Sib | titty for two wee!; ~k m milk Kill) per day for two weeks, floor -io-t and linseed meal 3oz per day for 15 week--. The total in v. - 7 ISIh man average daily gain per he a-! of 1.5!b, the cost of food per head being 17s 5 Id. Group 2: Wi.,,ie milk Sib j cr day for two v.-ecks. skim milk loib per day for two weeks', '-rushed nausllb per day for 1.4 weeks. The total gain in weight wa? 8221b. or an average daily g..in for each calf of 1.71b. the cost of feed per head for the period lining IDs lOjtl. Gionp 5: Whole milk bib per day for two weeks, skint milk IGlb (plus 1 quart per dry of linseed gruel i for 15 weeks. The total gain in weight was 7701b, average drily gain of each calf, l.lilh. Total cost of food per head ?1 7s 3d. Group 4 : Whole milk Slilh per day for one weak, skim miik Kill) per day for one week, bran meal boz., Unseen meal tioz . well cooked end fed with three quarts warm water per day for 15 weeks. The total gain in weight was 1077 lb. or an average daily gain for each calf of 2.31b. Total cost of feed per head. ISlOrl. The calves used were crossbeds, comprising Friesdan-.Terscy, Shorthorn-Jersey, Ayishire-Jerscy, Frieslan-Shon horn ami Guernsey-Jersey, also gri de Jersey. The suh -t it o.i ion of the various foods which finally replaced the milk ration was brought about gradually. Thus before the end of the new-itulk period a little skim milk was introduced and increased until the ration was all skim milk. Other food changes were made similarly and the animals at no time suffered any eheck.

In summing up. Mr Bruce claims that it was clearly demonstrated throughout the tests that the most important and essential factors in calf-rearing (tipart from the diet ary) wore (ll a cisan new grass paddock, (21 a good supply of fresh drinking water and (3) clean feeding utensils. There was no doubt that absence of scour among the calves was largely due to tbs latter precaution.

SOUTH ISLAND DAIRY ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the South Islam!/ ! Dairy Association was held in the Overseas j Club room, Dunedin, on Wednesday. The I chair was occupied by the president (Mr H. |J. Middleton) and there was a large attendance of delegates from dairy’ factory’ companies. In moving the adoption of the annual report and balance sheet the chairman said

the climatic conditions in Southland during the past season had not been very favourable, from a dairying point of view, j There had been an increase of 9,270 crates lof cheese dealt with by the association, but on the other hand there had been a falling off in the output of butter of 27,935 boxes. A worse feature than this, however, j had been the fixation of prices. The, inI evitable result of farcing down prices of any' I commodity below its actual value was to ! defeat the end for which the prices had been 1 fixed. Some producers had been forced out j of the business, and when conditions had returned to something like the pre-war standj ard it would be a very' difficult matter ini deed, if a greater increased output was not i possible. It was inevitable that in the I course of a few y’ears prices would come I back, but they would not be able to bring back the cost of production. The speaker referred to the efforts made by’ the association to get from the Government a free

market for its produce. They were now to have a restricted free market for cheese, but they’ were told (hat they had not the remotest chance of getting a free market for butter. Even if they got freedom to ship to London he did not think they would be very much better off than if the stuff was taken control of and the prices were fixed. He did not think they were going to have any serious troubles in regard to storage or shipping for the coming season. Everything pointed to absolutely emptystores when the next season opened. In the South Island the prospects as regards storage were very satisfactory. The speaker referred to the butter-fat levy, and said he considered that the nrodneers had been most

unfairly treated by the levy. He was glad to say, however, that everything pointed to a successful issue in the efforts the association was taking (n obtain some redress. Dealing with land values, the speaker said he was very much afraid the current high prices were going to place a great many people who were on the land in serious difficulties. While the present prices of produce continued they would be aide to get along all right, but how were the people who were now buying land to fare when prices fell? In some cases people

were paying: 100 to 200 per cent, more for land than was paid some few years back. It seemed to him that, the best remedy for the difficulties which faced them in this connection was to endeavour to increase the output per cow. Some of their cows did not I roach an average of two gallons per day, which was a very poor return indeed. The farmers should use only standard bred bulls, breed heifers from the best of their cows, . and cull ruthlessly. A stud bull could be purchased at a reasonable price. An important influence at work in sending tip land values was the activities of a class of persons much in evidence in Now Zealand today. He might call them “sign board land agents.” They were men who had no interest in their business or their clients beyond getting their commission. Theirs

was a legitimate business, according to the law of the land at present, and the agents were to be commended in that they worked hard. Hut they put out. tentacles all over their districts, inducing the farmer to put s price on his farm by undertaking to get that price. Once the price was named the agent set himself to obtain a buyer. The fact that little money passed did not matter to the agent —he got his commission. The speaker suggested as a cure that, in as'l land transactions commission should be collected only on the money paid over. it was a monstrous thing that a £.5000 deal should lie put through when it was extremely unlikely that as much as £SOO would be paid over. It was a tremendous incentive to the agents referred to to hunt around for sales. Another matter was the system of exchange. Under this there might not be any money pass, but the agent collected commission on the value of two properties. These increased values would atfect all farmers in. that they would be called upon to pay increased rates and taxation, and all because of the=e agents. Mr Middleton expressed satisfaction at me promised activities of the (iovornment in the matter of atTorestatien. He also thanked their chief executive officer (Mr (!. A. Lamb) and the clerical staff for theii efficient work. The trophies ottered by the :..-sr;riation for the member gaining the iiith-st grade in cheese and butter had been won by Mr Dobbie (Thornburyi, whose average grade in cheese was 03.US and Mr Isaac Champion (Ts.it.apu t, whose average grade in butter was 0.2,275. Mr Middieton concluded by expressing regret j

at (lie retirement of Mr W. J, Bolt from the directorate. Mr Holt had been connected with the association from the beginning of tilings, and they would be very sorry to 10.-e him. Mr Bolt was old so far as years were counted, but he was still ns young in spirit ns pvr he was. — (Applause. ) Mr T. Parker seconded the motion, which wa.s carried unanimously. Mr J. R. Thacker (the retiring director! was returned unopposed, and Mr A. P. Fleming was appointed in place of Mr W. •I. Bnir. wiio had te.-igned. Mr Hugh Mitchell was reappointed aurlilor at an increased remuneration. NOTICES OF MOTION. Mr E. Hansen (Avrmi moved a resolution with the nbjeet of altering the articles of asso-i:;tion so its to introduce a revised sc«le of levif- from those factories which were wot king under the association.- Mr J. H. Thacker moved as an amendment that the article bearing on this matter should stand over at present with the exception that the words '“he maximum sh il not exceed £l2 HE in any eii-c” he ('Tinted. After considerable discussion Mr Thacker id + ered his amendment so as to (linriu'ie the pr-.--nt minimum of £2 for cheese ,-n i £5 for mui-r, and in this form it was carried tumultuously. This means thal in future tlw levy on factories will b? n fiat r?'e of 1- 21 per ton on cheese and 2s t'ri per :• n on hotter. Mr H. Arnr.'.t. on behalf of the Seaward Down.; I): iry (’atop: ny moved- -‘That in order to avoid unnecessary expense and loss of rime incti;' r H ntt'mding frequent mee!'n'> deal'll"? with union matters, a Standing or Awards Gommittee be ele-tcd to I with all claims or awards made by the Managers’ or Assistants’ Union of Otago and Southland.” After a brief discussion the morion was lost by a largo nui’orty.

On behalf of the Otauiau Dr.'-v Coin pany. Mr Harnett moved- —"That the a-co-idaMm ccnrider .-••>( rug up an Industrial Committee to frame conditions equitable ! ke to employer? and employee? for puh-mE.-ion to a conference with the employee-' brio c the Conciliation Conned instead cf as at present waiting until the industrial union? present their demand.-.”-—The motion was lost by a large majority. CO OPERATIVE SELLING STORE.

A discussion took place on the question of the marketing of New Zealand produce in London, and in introducing the representative? of the National Dairy Association who were to speak on this matter (Messrs A. Moreton, Ellison, and H. F. Forsyth l, .the Chairman said the proposal in brief was to establish a co-operative system of disposing of titcir produce in London. The ditrieuity in the past had been to evolve a scheme which would enable then; to stand against the vested interests in London, and he thought the pro\Kisal which would be outlined by the speakers had a good fighting chance of success.- {“Hear, hear.";

Mr Moreton said the proposal, briefly, was that, the New Zealand factories should send their produce to the Co-operative Wholesale Society of England. Thi* society was a huge federation of 1400 o'. 1500 smaller co-operative societies. Eacl society had its own store or stores, the total number running into something like 15,000. The societies embraced 4,000,000 members, and allowing four persons as being associated with each member, they

would see that there were 20,000,000 people in the United Kingdom who were fed or who purchased their requirements through the medium of the co-operative society. The society had been for years past selling one-third of the whole Danish output of butter. Its. turnover in cheese per annum was about 30,000 tons. The society was prepared to pay the highest price for the best article. Although the society had been large dealers in Danish hulter it fop now, after (be war. (hat ij should Ink:- slops to deal more with the people of the dominions. Continuing, the speaker said they had made the astonishing discovery, through (lie Imperial Covettiinnil, that it hud cost fid per lb to place the New Zealand butter on the English market and ?d per lb for cheese. He could confidently assert that the scheme in its broad outlines was one that would bring the producers in‘o close touch with the consumers. This Co ] ope, alive Wholesale Society was prepared to j place New Zealand produce on Inc market i in the retail shops at Home and have it labelled and sold as New Zealand butler and cheese. If this were done a splendid advertisement would be provided for the dominion, and the produce of this country wits of such a quality that it would sell readily. Touching upon the financial strength and stability of the Co-operative Wholesale Society, he wanted them to understand that this organisation was absolutely strong enough in all respects (o carry nut (his proposition. It had n membership of 4.000 000, and the trade turnover la t year was £100,000,000. Apart from that, it Inti a co-operative hanking business of its own, and the in end out payments last, year were toiiO.OOO.OOO. In that hank the company had rap j 1 amounting to sere;:;! millions, and tiu* deposits totalled over £10.020.0:10. He only wished to add that under the proposed scheme the New Zealand producers were going to have the absolute control oi prices in their own hands. The board o! control was going to have an equal number of representatives of the Co-operative Wholesale Society and tin New Zealand produce!s. end when the matter of fixing the prices of ,\c-w Zealand produce came up (lie producers of the dominion would have an absolute majority on the committee. Mr Ellison, the representative at Home Oi the National Dairy Asso-ielion. ‘.aid the great difficulty v.hk-h had faced hurt when he had commenced to go info the scheme was that tins society naturally fleshed to buy in the cheapest markets wh!e their producer? derired to sell in the dearest markets. This difficulty had at, la.-t been overcome. After dealing in detail with the various features of the proposal, the ■ peaker said the idea was to form a com n-ny with a nominal capital of £IOO,OOO. IT'df the amount of the capital would lie übscribed by the society, and half by an v-ranisation to bp formed in New Zealand. Only a .-mail pa t of the capital, howpvS?-, would require to he called up. A control board, or directorate, would inset up. an,! also a price-fix ; ng commitHt. It. of course, depended on the prices fixed by the committe- set up to fix prices whether the society agteed to buy. If thsociety did not buy, (hen their produce could be sold elsewhere. There would be no profit, as profit direct. The rontrol boar.! would simply fix the price, and the producers here would receive t’lat price. Mr H. F. Forsyth who has recently paid a visit to England to inquire into this matter. outlined further details of (he .--.•hems and pointed out the benefits to be derived by eliminating either (he importer or the wholesaler at the other end. The scheme practically meant that they were to have their own selling store in London, with tne financial assistance of tfie Co-operative Wholesale Society, and the benefits of their valuable distributing agencies. Co-opera-tion had alree-dy been a proved success in connection with dairy companies, and he believed that the proposal would prove to Ire one of the greatest achievements they had ever undertaken."-(Applause. • Mr Fisher asked if, in the event of the scheme being carried, the Co-operative Wholesale Society would <jrop the purchase of Danish butter altogether. The Chairman replied that he had attended a meeting in Christchurch the other day when it w r as said that that was what the society desired to do. In reply to a question regarding repre sentation Mr Moretou stated that on the

board of directors lb? New Zealand 'producers and t.he Co-operative Wholesale Society would have equal representation, bu! (he committee which had the final fixing of puces' would contain a preponderance of New Zealand mei.ibrrs. The Chni. man said that he had heard the remark of where (he co op-rat : ve society was going to come in. The absolute surety, however, th.it tile society was going to secure its goods .'it a fixed pnec must tie a veiy great limy, Ihc sneieiy had hilhcrlo never had a chance of ''gelling a go” at Now Zealand produce. If the Co-operative Wholesale Society made a p on;, and they aim made a profit, no oinreri/m rook! he raised. The society was quite open and above board—he had met 'us representatives who had-been visiting the north - and there was no reason for any on? of them to look for the nigger in the wood pile. Mr Morettin said he hoped ft) lay (he scheme hefote tin- confc race of dairymen to no held at PrJt.icr'ion Nnrih in ih.c.e weeks’ lime. it would then he decided whether the formation of the company would be part of the National Dairy Asso-ciation--(hat was, if the scheme were finally

adopted- or whether an entirely new company should be formed. Whatever decision might he come to the South Island people would have equal opportunity of coming in. If tHe scheme came into operation there was no reason why their produce should not be handled this season under it, Tite Chairman a'-k-ed if the meeting was in favour of the broad principle of the sclf-me, and was ."rrwered with a unanimous "Aye. 1 ' Mr Booth moved: "That the executive of the Siiuih Island Dairy A- 1 neiction he authorised to co ope-vt-e v."!'t the Nat-on-.l Dairy Association in negotiating arrangements in conjunction with the (Vs-operative Wholesale Society for the marketing of our produce.” The motion was carried unanimously. A vote of thanks was passed to the visitors. for their addresses. INSURANCE, The Chairman said the Insurance Gommi’tfc set up to go into the que-rion of insurance had reported to the cx'.'-'uthe. Tfie executive, however, did not think it was tidvjsoUt- at the present stage to move on ihc lines recommended. As a remit of the report, however, their irwuran-’e would be . c-.-uced as from .July next by 2s for brick ■ dories and os for wooden factories. CHEESE. CRATES. Mr R. Arno!! moved, on behalf of the even:, ri c- "Tha:. it be a recommendation !-> members that cheese cratp? should be .-1 anda: ttxsi."- Mr Buckingham seconded tin- motion.—The motion was carried. RUTTER MARKET. Mr Agar moved “That the Imperial Government having remover! the control from English and Irish butter, the Prime Minister be respectfully asked to make representations to the imperial Government asking that Ihc same treatment be accorded the .Sew Zealand dairy produce.”—The motion was carried. VALEDICTORY. The Chairman moved—"That on Mr Boll’s retirement from the executive, this conference desires to place on record its sppreciatron of the valuable services rendered by him to the South Island Dairy Association.” The motion was carried with musical honours. Mr Bolt, in reply, said he had been with the association since its formation, and at all times he had tried to do his duty. He Cl. (:ov,'i-vr;., that physically and mentally he could not now do his duty to the association. and had therefore decided to retire from the directorate. He had been in the dairying industry for the past 53 years, and he regretted that now the time had conic for him to retire, COMPLIMENTARY. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to the chairman, the executive, and the staff for the manner in which they had carried out their duties during the past year. CONFERENCE NEXT YEAR. It was decided that the next annual conference be held in Dunedin.