AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL INDUSTRIES, STOCK, AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF THE.) (Sir G. HUNTER, Chairman.)

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1922 Session I, I-10

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1922. NEW ZEALAND.

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL INDUSTRIES, STOCK, AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF THE.) (Sir G. HUNTER, Chairman.)

Presented to the House of Representatives, and ordered to be printed.

ORDER OF REFERENCE. • Extract from the Journals of the House of Representatives. Friday, the 14th Day of July, 1922. Ordered, " That Standing Order No. 219 be suspended, and that a Select Committee be appointed, consisting of thirteen members, to consider all matters pertaining to agricultural and pastoral industries, stock, and commerce ; with power to confer and sit together with any similar Committee which may be appointed by the Legislative Council, and to agree to a joint or separate report; the Committee to have power to call for persons, papers, and records ; three to be a quorum : the Committee to consist of Mr. Burnett, Mr. Field, Mr. Forbes, Mr. J. It. Hamilton, Mr. Hawken, Sir G. Hunter, Mr. Jennings, Mr. Jones, Mr. Lysnar, Mr. Masters, Hon. Mr. Ngata, Mr. Williams, and the mover." — (Hon. Mr. Nosworthy.)

REPORTS. No. 331. —Petition of Helen Mitchel Browne, of Kaitoke. Petitioner alleges that owing to the passing of the Wellington City Milk-supply Act, 1919, she has been ruined in business, and prays that legislation may be passed to provide for full compensation being paid to her. I am directed to report that the Committee is of opinion that great hardship has been thrust upon the petitioner, and recommends that the Government should bring down legislation which will enable the Wellington City Council to fully compensate her. 20th October, 1922.

Dairy Industry Amendment Bill. I have the honour to report that the Agricultural and Pastoral Industries, Stock, and Commerce Committee, to which was referred the above-mentioned Bill, has carefully considered the same, and recommends that it be allowed to proceed without amendment. 20th October, 1922.

No. 313, Petition of W. B. A. Gill and 103 Others; and No. 330, Petition of A. Robertson and 65 Others. Praying that the two-mile radius provided by section 12 of the Wellington City Milk-supply Act, 1919, be extended to thirty miles, and that the 30-gallon limit be abolished ; that the price to be paid by the City Council to farmers for milk be fixed by a Board or other tribunal upon which the farmers as well as the City Council shall have full representation ; that the existing legislation be

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so amended as to provide for payment of compensation to farmers who may have suffered or may suffer loss by reason of the exercise of the Council's powers. I am directed to report that the Committee is of opinion that the petitioners have just cause for petitioning Parliament, and that steps should be taken to remove grievance caused, and recommends— (1.) That the Corporation should give the farmers within the two-mile radius the right to retail the whole of their output of milk, provided they agree to the immediate setting-up of a Board consisting of one medical officer from the Health Department, one veterinary officer of the Agricultural Department, one medical man appointed by the City Council ; the Corporation to grant a license to any farmer whose farm is within a radius of two miles of the city to sell his entire output in the city, provided he is able to satisfy and obtain a certificate from the above Board that he is selling milk under conditions that will not be injurious to the health of the community and which is fit for human consumption. (Note. —This proposal is based upon the Corporation's policy that the public must be protected against the spread of certain diseases of which milk is a particular carrier, and it is therefore purely a health matter. It is suggested that the Board will not interfere with farms more than they may take evidence from farm experts pertaining to such farms as considered necessary. The Board to particularly consider the conditions under which the milk is held before delivery and how delivery is made, and it may require the judicious use of the tuberculin test whenever considered necessary.) (2.) That the City Council should, in arranging for its all-the-year-round supply, adhere strictly to the principle of securing such supply from within the thirty-mile radius, milk from outside that radius to be obtained only when farms inside the radius are unable to provide the full quantity required. (3.) That, while having regard to the arrangement in existence between the City Council and the Wellington Dairy-farmers' Association, the Committee is nevertheless of opinion that the City Council, should make such arrangement with suppliers between Wellington and Paekakariki on the one side, and Wellington and the Summit on the Rimutaka line on the other, as will enable them to supply to the Council such quantity of milk as is agreed upon as from the Ist February, 1923 ; and, further, that in future arrangement the principle of securing milk produced within the thirty-mile radius be fully adhered to, thus enabling all suppliers between Wellington and Paekakariki on the one side, and Wellington and the Summit on the Rimutaka line on the other, to participate in the Council's supply. * (4.) That, in default of agreement as to price, quantity, and the conditions of supply, an Appeal Board to be set up, consisting of one appointee of the Corporation and one appointee of the farmers together with a chairman appointed by the Minister of Agriculture. This Board, after due inquiry, to decide the price or prices to be paid for milk, and the quantities to be supplied, and the conditions of supply. 26th October, 1922.

Special Report. I have the honour to report that the Agricultural and Pastoral Industries, Stock, and Commerce Committee desires to place on record its high appreciation of the capable and impartial manner in which the Chairman (Sir G. Hunter) has presided over the deliberations of the Committee during the session. K. S. Williams, 28th October, 1922. Member of the Committee.

Final Re'ort. I have the honour to report that the Committee has held, during the session, eleven meetings, with an average attendance of eight members at each meeting. Three petitions and one Bill were referred to the Committee, all of which have been reported to the House. 30th October, 1922. W. H. Field, for Chairman.

Approximate Cost of Paper. —Preparation, not given; printing (450 copies), £2.

By Authority : W. A. G Skin nek, Government Printer, Wellington.—l922.

Price 3d. \