FINANCE, COMMERCE AND MARKETS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 53, 4 March 1926, Page 4

FINANCE, COMMERCE AND MARKETS.

POULTRY ASSOCIATION. DOMINION CONFERENCE. DEAR FOOD SUPPLIES. RESTRICTION OX EGG PULP. (I'.r Telegraph. — Press Association.) DUNEDIN, Wednesday. The sixteenth annual conference of the Xew Zealand Poultry Association was commenced this morning. The president, Mr. Thomas Bruce, was in the chair. There were sixteen delegates present, also a large number of others interested in the industry. In the course of liis annual address the president said: "I regret to slate that the note of warning contained in the report of my predecessor has come very true. A very considerable amount of the unsatisfactory ?tatc of affairs has been 'brought about by the action of members of affiliated societies. I feel certain, however, that in F,pite of the serious position which the industry finds itself in to-day tho association is in a stronger position than it has been at any time since its formation. 1 trust that, as a result of finding out our weaknesses, we will at this conference take steps to overcome them, and with the foundation which lias been established for the association and the industry, I am confident we are on the eve of one of the greatest periods of our association. All that is required to bring about is the co-operation of each affiliated society with one another. The Price of Wheat. "Tn spite of all the opposition we were successful in bringing such pressure to bear on the Government that wheat was eventually allowed to be imported duty free from the end of September, 1925. Late as this was, it was the means of earing many thousands of pounds to the producers of our Dominion, and it is very regrettable that our applications had not been acceded to early in the season-. ."I am also pleased to state that the great effort which your executive has ]>u£ forward on the food question has lrail the efl'ect of definitely placing food etippiies on-a satisfactory basis and for the rirst time for many years we have aur requirements attended to in a satisfactory ■manner, as far as supplies are concerned. But it is regrettable that the worid'e prices for wheat tire still very high. Egg Puip Importation. "After much investigation, the Department ot" Industries and Commerce decided not to allow importations of egg P«lp as ample pulp was held in the freezers for present requirements. This effort by the bakers has proved that while we are prepared to produce pulp at prices which the Department has considered reasonable, and which are satisfactory from the producers' point of view we need not have the grave fears we have had in this direction for many years. We can now with, safety ask a price which will be satisfactory to our producers and bakers and not sell pulp at other than these prices." Messrs. A. G. Mumby, E. J. Ross, G. H. Bradford, A. M. Love, and R. J. Roberts were appointed a committee to report on the question of reorganising the constitution of the association. The conference placed on record its appreciation and congratulations to the Minister of Agriculture on the attitude he had taken over the wheat question regarding the poultry industry, which would result in preventing any further setback which set in through'liio-h production costs. Oil the recommendation of the delegates to the Xew Zealand Farmers' Lnion it was requested to request the executive of the association to ask the Government that legislation be introduced for the compulsory control of the export of eggs, regulations for the compulsory registration of poultry keepers keeping poultry and offering the products for sale, legislation grantin" a compu.sory Dominion egg pulp poo ] and the need f or proper inspection and absolute prohibition of exposing' eggs for sa.e in a dirty condition.