BEEKEEPERS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18400, 5 June 1925, Page 7

BEEKEEPERS.

NATIONAL CONFERENCE.

SOME SALIENT POINTS. (fFZCUL TO "tbx rwss. ") GREYMOUTH, June 4. At the Xc;v Zca'and Beekeepers' conference te-day, reference was made by Mr R. G. Robinson, Apiary Instructor for the Nelson, Mirllorough, and West Coast districts, to the fact that one of tho oldest beekeepers in the Dominion, who wa3 formerly master of French and German at Christ's College, Christchurch, Mr Charles Harling, was at present in hrspi'.al at Kelson Buffering from sciatica, and had hsd to give up his active interest in Let-keeping. Mr Harling, he said, was 'in hi 3 eighty-third year. Mr W. -B. Bray (Barry'B Bay) said he was sorry to hear of Mr Harhng's illness. He had learned French trom Mr Harling, and through him he bed get his first interest in beekeeping. Mr Harling kept a few hives in h : s garden, and they, 03 boys," had pestered him to see his bees. So impressed was young Bray that he took up bc-ckceping in earnest. He expressed his personal sympathy with his old master in his illness. Mr E. A. Earp, Chief Apiary Instructor, F.tid he knew .Mr Hailinsr, and hud -.-hutted with him recently in Kelson, Mr Harling referring to Mr Bray as one of his enrlieit pupils. Mr Harl.ng. though one of the old school of beekeepers, was one of the scientific school, and while at Christ's Collie took rcore than a papain? interest in beekeeping. Though he "was not in good health, Mr Harling's interest in beekeeping v.as to-day just as keen a« that shown bv Mr Isaac Hopkins. The, only regret Mr Harling had was that he hod to give up his apiary and go into retirement. The Subsidy. •

With refreshing candour and considerable emphasis, Mr R. A. Gibb (Menzies Ferry, Southland), entered a protest against a proposal that the Association should approach tho Government for an increase in the subsidy to tho Association's funds. "I don't hold witlj this going to tie Government," Mr Gi.b said. "Uo.vn soutii, when wo wanted a railway and tho Government would net give it to us, we put it in ourselves. And the same with our electric power scheme. 1 think the .Government has done a great deal ior beekeepers. The work that Mr Campbell" (Diiector of Horticulture), in particular, has put in is considerable. No one has any idea of the amount of work he has done. The Government has helped us with that : übsidy of £IOO per annum. The time has come when we should do something for ourselves." Mr Bray said he strongly objected to going to tho Government for an increased subsidy, :yid referred to the absurdity of tho Government subsidising the Association so that it could meet in conference and ask for a larger subsidy. "Instead of asking for an' inoreased subsidy," Baid Mr Campbell, "it is a question I of asking' for tho continuation of the subsidy. It. wns discontinued three years ago and was only renewed, efter quite a number of applications from the Association, on the clear understanding that it would be discontinued at the end of three years, and the last subsidy has been paid." Several delegates ' expressed regret at the absence from the -.-onference of Mr and Mrs E. G. Ward (Ohoka). Mr 3. Murdoch (Ross) remarked that, when urging at last year's conference that Greymouth should be selected for this year's gathering, he had looked forward t*> the certainty of seeing Mr and Mrs "Ward m. Greymouth. • ! The paper on "A Honey House and Apiary Equipment," written by Mr Ward, was read, by Mr G. L. Hight (Horora-ta), and aroused considerable comment, much-of which was highly complimentary. Mr' Earp (Chief Apiary Instructor) said that he had seen Mr Ward's honey x housa, which was built originally for a creamery. Mr Ward set out to convert it into an ideal honey house, and- had succeeded in makins it one of the ideal honey houses in Canterbury, and one to be copied. Instructors' Powers. A remit from tho Canterbury branch of the National Association asking that apiary instructors should be given the same power to inspect honey houses and honey exposed for sa)e as those possessed with regard to iruit by fruit inspectors, waa wnndrawn after soma discussion. . ,Mr' Campbell said' he had discussed the matter with the Health Department and it was realised that it would be v a difficult thing to draw up regulations that would not operate harshly «n beekeopors a moderate way of business. The understanding arrived at was that apiary inspectors should advise beekeepers aa, to, what they should do to bring their honey houses .into conformity with the requirements of the Health Department, and if those requirements were not carried out the Health Authorities would he asked to take action. Ho emphasised the fact that the number of honey houses that could be classed as insanitary was negligible; in fact, such honey houses were practically non-existent. After some discussion a "Canterbury remit, declaring that' all members of the National Association should be obliged to join the branch in their district, was agreed to with the substitution: "Bo asked to," in place of "be obliged to.<J '•■ ~ As to a remit urging an increased penalty for breaches of the Apiaries Act,-K.r Campbell explained that this request, which was made at the 1924 conference, had been complied with in a Bill to amend the Apiaries Act which, -owing to the .amount cf work before Parliament last session, could not be introduced. ~,,-, Conference decided that the matter should be kept in view. .• . | A Canterbury - remit, urging that salaries i paid to apiary instructors, should be com- | mensurate ■ with the services rendered by them, was taken in conjunction with a remit from the Auckland branch, tho salaries of itupiary instructors should be brought into line with all salaries paid to other instructors in the Department. _ There was considerable discussion in the course of which Mr. Campbell remarked that the matter was one for the Public Service Commissioner.to determine. He added that it was only by the people who benefited by tho work of the instructors^- battling for their better payment that matters could be improved. . , The Canterbury remit was withdrawn and the Auckland one agreed to. There was a good attendance ■at the motor picnic to-day at Punakaiki,- the new settlement on tho Coast north of Barry town and on the new coastal road en route to Westport About forty members of tho conference' made the trip and spent a most enjoyable time.