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Butter. —Allied with the cheese question is the butter question, and the need for accommodation for the latter product was fully considered. The importance of the butter question lies in the fact that so many small farmers are interested in it, that anything detrimentally affecting the industry would mean grave inconvenience, and in some cases hardship, to struggling settlers. Some assistance, the Board felt, should therefore be given in the case of the storage and shipping of butter. It had been represented to the Board that from 6 to 8 per cent, of the shipping-space available should be allocated to butter. Dairy Industry generally. —Bearing upon the dairy industry generally, and one vitally affecting it, is the question of experts, and this phase of the subject was gone into. It had been reported to the Board that a number of cheese experts and dairy-factory managers had gone to the war, and it was stated that the cheese and butter industries would be in a very awkward position later on if experienced men could not be retained for making these products. It was pointed out that cheese-factories and dairy companies were having a great difficulty in filling vacancies, which was now being done by the employment of boys under military age and men unfit for military, service with no experience. As a result of our deliberations of these matters the following resolutions were passed and forwarded on to you : — " (1.) That the Government should, if possible, try to secure for the carriage of butter, say, about C per cent, of the shipping-space available; and also consider the practicability of adopting some method of assisting small, dairy-farmers should they need financial help in the event of their being unable to ship their butter. '.' (2.) That the Board of Agriculture consider that the Government is in honour bound to see that all cheese is properly stored at a low temperature, both for the sake of the British Government and for the reputation of New Zealand cheese, and in support of this they would submit the following facts : — " (a.) The outlook for shipping is absolutely uncertain. " (b.) Without cool storage cheese will not keep. " (c.) Cool storage for cheese can be erected at a cost amounting to approximately 5 per cent, of the value of the product, and the storage fees paid by the Imperial Government would recoup a large proportion of the cost. " (d.) After the war this storage will probably be required in the ordinary course of trade, but even if not required for storage or for some other purpose —and of no value' afterwards, which is highly improbable —the expenditure would only mean an insurance policy of about 5 per cent, on the year's output of cheese. " (c.) In order to expedite the despatch of vessels so as to make the greatest possible use of them, a large central store in Wellington is urgently required. The Board therefore strongly recommend that storage accommodation should be provided, which, with the storage now available, would amount to a total of 600,000 crates. " (/.) That the Wellington Harbour Board having offered to commence the erection of a building for 60,000 crates, on condition that the Government subsidize the expenditure by £3,250, this offer should be promptly accepted, so that storage may be available for the incoming season commencing in September. This matter the Board regard as one of extreme urgency. " (3.) That the Board of Agriculture wish to point out to the Government that the number of dairy-factory experts has been seriously depleted, and they are therefore of opinion that no factory should be left without a sufficient number of experienced men or the output will be further restricted. They also consider that an official pronouncement from the Government should be made on the subject. " (4.) That in the opinion of the Board it is imperative, in view of the probable shortage of ships, that, additional freezing-stores be built as soon as possible, and that the Government should subsidize the building of these stores, if necessary, after consulting with the freezing companies, and obtaining from them their views as to the most suitable localit)', and the best method of financing the proposals; also that a portion of such extra storage should be made available for butter. At our meeting in October last, at which we had the pleasure of talking over matters with yourself, and when you supplied us with confidential information and figures regarding the shipping outlook, the subject was again fully gone into, particularly from the point of view of the possibility of relief being given in the matter of shipping-space, by freezing companies taking only first-class stock to lie slaughtered at the works; and the tinning of second-class fat old ewes, the necessary steps being taken to obtain supplies of tinplate for this purpose. It was .also deemed desirable to advise farmers, in view of the possible shortage of shipping, to hesitate to fatten and freeze their long-woolled ewe lambs. The following resolutions were accordingly passed and forwarded to you : — " (5.) The Board of Agriculture having gone thoroughly into the position regarding the prospects of shipping, storage of meat, butter, and cheese, &c. have the honour to report — "(ft.) That there is a serious position to face owing to the piling-up of produce in New Zealand.

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