MINISTERIAL.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19227, 6 February 1928, Page 8

MINISTERIAL.

HON. MR HAWKEN IN TOWN

SEVERAL DEPUTATIONS

The Hon. Mr Hawken, Minister for Agriculture, arrived in Christchurch on Saturday evening from Hanmer. Having inspected the forestry areas of the State Forest Service at Hanmer and Balmoral that day, he informed a reporter that the trees were suffering a little from the dry spell, but all appeared to be doing well, and there was a big supply of seedlings in the nurS6 Mr Hawken' received several deputations on Saturday evening, but only one was open to the 1 ress. When the Minister heard the deputation • from the fruitgrowers flower, and plant-growers and auctioneers, who entered a protest against the regulations restricting the sale of flowers and plants by fruiterers after the prescribed time of closing for florists, he had with his Mr K. T. Bniley, officerof the Labour Department in Christchurch, who was in a position to explain the provisions of the amendment to the Shops and Offices Act, the legislation in question. The deputation consisted of Messrs A. L. Macfarlane, W. J. Masson, W. Harrison, and Piatt, and was introduced by Mr J. McCombs, M.P. After they had withdrawn, Mr Hawken said the matter was not so serious as the members of the deputation appeared to think. Mr Bailey had been able to reassure them up to a certain point. So far as he could see, there na« no cause for alarm on the part of the interests represented, but he had undertaken to place the representations before his colleague, the Hon. Mr Anderson. Minister for Labour.

heard privately, was from the Motunau Rabbit Board.

The grass seed season being in full swing on the Peninsula, the deputation from the growers will be received by Mr Hawken on his next visit to Christchurch, in about a month. This morning the Minister, who is accompanied bv Mrs and Miss Hawken, leaves for the West Coast by car. They will go as far south as Waiho, proceeding then to Nelson or Picton, via Motueka.