AKAROA COCKSFOOT SEED GROWERS' ASSOCIATION

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume LXIII, Issue 6498, 10 January 1939, Page 3

AKAROA COCKSFOOT SEED GROWERS' ASSOCIATION

SEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF MEMBERS ' \ The seventh annual meeting of the above Association, postponed from December 2, 1938, when there was not a quorum present was held at Duvauchelle Hall on Friday. Mr F. G. Armstrong, chairman, presided and there was an attendance of about twenty members. An apology was received from Mr T. Mould. The annual report and balance sheet was taken as read. Mr W. H. Moore moved steps be taken to collect arrears in membership, estimated in the balance sheet at £38 10s, from those members who had not had their seed certified; seconded by Mr J. Brocherie and carried . The report and balance sheet were adopted. Mr C. E. Kay referred to a circular issued to growers and stated cocksfoot could be harvested cheaply on the Plains and he understood good seeed was grown there. The chairman said Banks Peninsula grown seed was in greater demand and 3000 sacks sold to Australia in the past year was practically all "Akaroa" certified cocksfoot. The Banks Peninsula Seed always commanded a premium over Plains grown seed and there had been a complete clearance this year. Plains grown seed did not go into consumption so readily. Mr C. E. Kay said he understood "Akaroa" certified machine dressed seed was sold in Auckland as high as at Is lOd per pound. Two resignations were received. Wages for Harvesters The chairman brought up the question of wages to be paid this season to harvesters and the growers present were of opinion that wages for experienced men would be 2s 6d per hour and found and for inexperienced men according to what they were worth. Labour Shortage The State Placement Department wrote offering to find men for the harvest. Those present considered there would be a shortage of men for harvesting this >eason's crop and it was suggested the Banks Peninsula local bodies should be asked to let their j stall' engage in harvesting especially I over the reaping period as these men were experienced harvesters. Though it was realized the road maintenance work had to go on it was considered some of the men, if allowed to vacate their positions for a fortnight could help the farmers out of a difficult

position. It was also stated that a number of farmers had given lip cocksfoot owing to the difficulty of getting experienced men. A resolution proposed by Mr W. H. Moore and seconded by Mr L. A. Brown that Banks Peninsula local bodies be written to asking them to allow their men off for a fortnight's reaping was carried. Definite Demand lor "Akaroa The chairman, in reviewing the district's cocksfoot seed industry said it was plain that there was a definite demand for "Akaroa" certified cocksfoot seeed and it commanded a good price. The Department of Agriculture and the Canterbury Seed Merchants had co-operated with the Association in encouraging cocksfoot to be grown on Banks Peninsula. Inferior seed, such as Danish had almost disappeared from the New Zealand and Australian markets. A recent report had stated that South Island cheese was .superior to North Island cheese on account of the presence of cocksfoot in South Island pastures, while in Australia there was a demand for our cocksfoot because it was most suitable for dairying. This demand was likely to increase in Australia. It had also been found in the North Island that facial excema did not show tip to the same extent where pastures contained a good percentage of cocksfoot. He had ascertained that there were very small holdings by merchants of "Akaroa" cocksfoot. He also referred to cocksfoot seed grown at Lincoln College, C 23. He said that seed had been selected from Banks Peninsula seed and when allowed to pollinate in the ordinary way contained not one variety but many varieties as the Banks Peninsula paddocks did. 15 It was suggested that the Association should co-operate with the merchants in an advertising scheme for "Akaroa" cocksfoot. Committee Meeting At a subsequent meeting of the committee Mr F. G. Armstrong was re-elected chairman. M'essrs T. Mould, L. A. Brown, C. E. Kay, E. N. Moore and D. Kay were elected to fill the five vacancies on. the committee . It was decided to write to Messrs C. W. Humm and S. Gilbert, the retiring members of the committee, thanking them for their services to the Association. It was also decided to write to Mr J. C. C. Reynish, inspector at Pigeon Bay, who had resigned, appreciating his services. Mr R. Pettigrew was) appointed inspector for Pigeon Bay and it was left in Mr C. E. Kay'a hands to ar-

range for an inspector at Little Akaloa. The inspectors for the other districts were reappointed. It was left to the chairman to see Christchurch seed merchants and Mr R. McGillivray and to the chairman and secretary to report on membership. The next meeting was left in the chairman's hands.