ADDRESS BY DR. REAKES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9633, 13 June 1919, Page 3

ADDRESS BY DR. REAKES.

WELLINGTON, June 11

The. sixth .annual conference of the National Beekeepers' Association was opened to-day. ..There was an attendance of about 80" delegates. Mr "W. Baker (president of the association) presided. Dr. C. 3. Rcakes, Director of Agriculture, said that at the Iluakura farm a number of returned soldiers were -learning the industry. A great deal of experimental work bad been carried out at Ruakura. At the Tauranga, farm there was a queen bee-rearing apiary, and the farm bad made rapid progress. In regard to the export trade, Dr. Ileakes said that during the war it had shown exceptional protit. Ho did not think that producers need fear a very grca't drop in prices so long as the present high standard of honey was maintained in weight and jyilue. The honey experts for the years 1915-1919 were: —1915, 1456cwt, value £4763; 1916, 2390cwt. £6067; 1917, 1572cwt, £3554; 1918, 28l8cwt 3 £7991; 1919, 6619cwt., £32,019. Dr. Reakes advised that while every effort should be made, to foster export trade,'the interests of the home consumer should be looked after and good quality honey should be supplied to the New "Zealand buyer a.t a fair and honest price.

Considerable discussion took place/on the question of the desirableness of seeking legislation denning apiary boundaries, and a committee i was set up to wait upon the proper Government authority for the nurpose of discussing regulations on which ,to base a Bill to be introduced into Parliament.- It was decided to urge the. Department of Agriculture to conduct a series of experiments in the treatment of honey. The conference proceedings will be continued to-morrow.