5

H.—29

REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL. The Hon. the Minister or Agriculture. Wellington, 15th May, 1925. In submitting this report upon the Department's operations during the past year I must express my appreciation of the assistance rendered me by the Assistant Director-General and by the Divisional Directors. In the case of each Division the work allocated to it has been carried out efficiently and thoroughly, all officers showing an evident desire to assist in rendering the Department a useful section of the State service. The development of the instructional side of the Department's activities has continued, and it is satisfactory to note that producers have extensively availed themselves of these services, and have been able thereby to overcome working difficulties on the land in their occupation or among their live-stock, and to generally increase their output capacity. During the year Mr. A. R. Young, who had held the position of Director of the Live-stock Division since 1918, retired from the service on superannuation. Through this the Department has sustained a decided loss, Mr. Young having been a capable administrator, very thorough and definite in his methods, and always actuated by a desire to carry out his duties to the very best advantage. Steps are now in hand for appointing a successor. Mr. J. L. Bruce, Superintendent of Experimental Farms, also retired on superannuation after a long period of faithful service. Agricultural Instruction. The instructional services of the Fields Division are fully dealt with in the report of its Director, which follows. The officers of this Division are doing excellent work, and it is quite obvious that the stall will need to be still further increased in order to meet the demands upon it. The great extent of settlement which has occurred during the last ten years has brought a quantity of previously unoccupied land into use, while a very considerable number of men have gone on the land possessing only a limited knowledge and experience of successful farming practice. The provision of an instructional and advisory service enables settlers of this type, as well as others of longer experience, to have available capable and highly trained instructors from whom they can at all times seek advice regarding any matters arising in the course of their farm operations in connection with which they desire more information or assistance. As the result of the gift of the late Sir Walter Buchanan to Victoria College, Wellington, for the purpose of establishing a Chair of Agriculture, the College Council during the year appointed Professor G. S. Peren to the position, and a beginning in a course of agriculture has already been made with a class of twelve students. The Department is assisting by providing lecturers from among its staff, and a feeling of cordial co-operation has been established, which it is hoped will also be evinced when shortly a Professor of Agriculture takes up his position at the Auckland University College. The whole question of agricultural education has been given special attention, and at the request of the Government the Board of Agriculture has undertaken a special inquiry into the subject, one representative from the Education Department and this Department respectively being associated with the Board. The report should prove a valuable one. The State Farms. The Moumahaki Farm has been subdivided for the purpose of placing settlers upon it, and the Department's own farming operations there will shortly come to an end. It was decided that the income derived from the settlement of the farm should be utilized for the purposes of agricultural instruction in the area lying, roughly speaking, between Wanganui and New Plymouth, and legislation in this connection was enacted during last session. The Moumahaki Farm during its earlier operation by the Department served an exceedingly useful purpose. In view, however, of the great improvement in general farming conditions in that portion of New Zealand its usefulness has largely disappeared, and there can be no doubt that the new order of things will have the effect of conferring a greater benefit upon the Wanganui-New Plymouth district than could have been the ease had the farm continued to be operated by the Department.