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appointed by the Hon. Minister of Agriculture to administer these regulations held its first meeting on 15th June following, and has since held a further five meetings. To date 580 applications for registration have been received, and of this number 562 were granted certificates and the balance of eighteen declined. Inspection of New Zealand Dairy-produce in Britain. Mr. W. Wright, who had been in continuous charge of this work since October, 1922, having reached the allotted span, retired on superannuation at the end of November last, his position being filled by Mr. F. H. Taylor, who had been associated with Mr. Wright since 1930. Mr. G. M. Valentine, who had also been assisting Mr. Wright since November, 1933, returned to New Zealand in August, 1934, and Mr. G. Y. Were, who on a previous occasion saw service in London, returned there to fill the position previously held by Mr. Taylor. The number of inspections of dairy-produce becomes greater each year, and numerous detailed reports on the quality of dairy companies' produce come to hand by each mail. These are duly forwarded to the respective dairy companies, who are by this means kept in close touch with the quality of their produce at the Home end. Many other matters coming within the scope of these officers' work and of interest to the industry are also fully reported on. Certificate-of-record Testing. The 1934 results for C.O.R. testing have shown a very satisfactory increase over 1933. Firstclass certificates of record were issued to 639 cows in 1934, and of this total 536 cows qualified in the yearly-test division, and the remaining 103 in the 305-day division. In addition, 41 second-class certificates were issued. These totals compare with 507 first-class (46 of these being in the 305-day division) and 38 second-class certificates issued in 1933. In the third-class C.O.R. division, 212 certificates were issued, as against 86 for the preceding year, an increase of 126. The year under review is the second season in which certificates have been issued in this Division of the C.O.R. class. The average butterfat-production for the 536 first-class yearly certificates issued in 1934 was 527-45 lb., as against 523-10 lb. for 1933, an increase of 4-35 lb. butterfat per cow. The corresponding figures for the 103 certificates of the 305-day class were 426-23 lb., as against 447-35 lb. for 1933, a decrease of 21-12 lb. butterfat per cow. Government Official Herd-testing. During the year 2,185 pure-bred cows were tested under this method, these being in the herds of 184 C.O.R. testing breeders. This represents an increase of twenty-one breeders and 493 cows, over the year ended 30th September, 1933. On the basis of all cows in milk 180 days or more the average yield of cows tested under this system last year was 311-59 lb. butterfat, as compared with 309-78 lb. butterfat for the previous year, an increase of 1-81 lb. butterfat. While the C.O.R. system is classified in calendar years, the official hprd-test year closes on 30th September, and to that date in 1934 the O.H.T. system had completed seven years' operations. Ordinary Dairy-herd Testing. The number of cows tested under this method during 1933-34 exceeded by 11,593 the preceding season's figure, which was previously the highest number tested in any one season. Some 297,647 cows were tested, their average production being 262-44 lb. butterfat, as compared with 286,054 cows and 255-57 lb. butterfat for the 1932-33 season. Approximately 92 per cent, of the total tested were under the group system (273,473), while 22,433 were tested under the association own-sample system, and the balance of 1,741 by dairy companies on behalf of their suppliers. The tested cows represent approximately 16-4 per cent, of the total cows in milk in the Dominion. The Government subsidy to herd-testing was continued, £5,000 being granted for the past season. Two meetings of the New Zealand Herd-testing Central Executive were held during the year. Staff. Regret is expressed at the retirement through effluxion of time of Mr. W. E. Gwillim, AssistantDirector of the Division, Mr. W. Wright, Inspector of New Zealand Dairy-produce, London, and Mr. S. Clayton, Grader-in-Charge, Lyttelton. Mr. Gwillim joined the Service in 1907, and was appointed Assistant Director in 1922, retiring as from the end of August last. Mr. Wright, whose appointment dates from 1903, was the first divisional officer to fill the position of Inspector of New Zealand Dairyproduce, proceeding to London in 1911. He returned to New Zealand in 1917, was reappointed to London in 1922, and occupied that position until his retirement at the end of November, 1934. Mr. S. Clayton joined the Division in 1911 as Grader at Lyttelton, retiring from the position of Grader-in-Charge at that port at the end of October, 1934. Appreciation of their long and faithful services to the Division and to the dairy industry generally is gratefully acknowledged. Mr. G. M. Valentine, who returned from London in August last, was appointed Assistant Director of the Division as from Ist September following. The year has been an arduous one for the staff, and their loyal and efficient co-operation is thankfully acknowledged. Appreciation!.;: . Thanks are extended to all co-operating the willing assistance and co-operation given to the Division during the year.

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