DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 14, 17 January 1908, Page 4

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

AUCKLAND, .16th January. Amongst the arrivals from tho Soudi this week were 3lr. J. D. Ritchie, Secretary for Agriculture, and Mr. E. Clifton, Chief ,Stock Inspector. Interviewed to-day, Mr. Ritchie stated that the chie£ object of his visit was to make a tour of inspection of the various experimental stations in the north.' He left for Beckerscaffe in the Kaipara this afternoon, accompanied by Mr. Clifton. Beckerstaffe was recently acquired by the Goyermnent for closer settlement purposes, but 1500 acres were retained by ith'e Government ior 'experimental worK. -The various "experiment stations in the province will he visited in tu'viv, and on ( Monday v?e'ek the'Minisfe? of Lands and Agriculture (Mr. ( M'Nab) will join the party at Ruakura. Tho Minister and the Secretary will then leave by the overland route to Wellington. "Auckland is the most favoured province in the Dominion," said Mr. Ritchie. ' "You have mbre Government experimental work going on in tho north than in all the other provinces put togohter. and thero can be no possible com"plaint that the Government is not doing its duty. It is recognised that there is a vei-y-laxge scope for development in the north, and the department is doing its bost to assist ,tho various industries and districts."