N.Z. BEEKEEPERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 149, 25 June 1936, Page 5

N.Z. BEEKEEPERS.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE i j UNIFORMITY ESSENTIAL RETROSPECTIVE PAYMENTS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, tliis clay, i The necessity for uniform grades of j honey of superior quality was emphasised by the Director-General of Agri- ! culture, Mr. A. H. Cockayne, when opening the 23rd annual conference of the National Beekeepers' Association yesterday. Mr. Cockayne said that, just as stability and expansion of the export market depended upon uniformity at a very high standard, so stability and ; expansion of the local market was j dependent on uniformity, but not necessarily at as high a standard as for ' export. The conference was attended by about (!0 delegates, over whom the vice-presi-dent. Mr. A. Ecroyd, of Christehureh. presided. The delegates were welcomed by the Mayor, Mr. T, C. A. Hislop. In an address. Mr. .T. R. Butland. chairman of the Honey Control Board, announced that retrospective payment-? dating back to the 1033 season would be made to honey producers. "In the ' first year, 1933. the No. 1 season," he ' said, "honey exporters received a pro rata payment of 4 5-Sd per lb. In the No. 2 seafon, 1934. the total payout was 4Jd, and for the 19.'t0 season 4d has so far been paid out and another payment listo be made immediately. In the present season the board has decided to increase its advance to 2kl. This was done to enable producers to choose between the local and the export markets uninfluenced by the pressing financial situation. Tt is the board's policy to try to increase this advance further as time goes on. and it sees every prosI pect of being able to do so." I The payments for the first two sea- ! sons, he said, were necessarily considered to be (ina.l payments, and were accepted by the industry as entirely j satisfactory. Substantial reserves had Ito be provided, and provision made against an excessively heavy export season. "We now find our position to be so satisfactory," continued Mr. But- | land, "that these reserves need not be held any longer, and the board has ' decided to increase the payout on No. 1 season by Id per lb. making it "> 5-8:1. and the payout for the No. 2 season by lid. making the total payout (ijd. j "The No. 3 season has not yet been completed, and 4d has already been paid. An additional payout of 2d will be madr' by the board, bringing the total to fid. and a further final payment should be due about November. I have no doubt that the No. 3 season will reach 6Jd /itul 1 probably exceed it. The additional pay- ! outs on the first two seasons will be 1 sent to you immediately. The additional payments on the No. 3 season will be made in two sums, one of Id in .Tune and another of Id at an early date not vet decided.

Tn addition to this Mr. Butland said tlio board had written ofT a debit balance of £800 and had either paid or made provision for the total amount of the original debt of £0480 owing for the "Imperial Bee" brand, and there would still remain a credit balance to take carp of any emergency.