A NEW HONEY BOARD

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22372, 8 April 1938, Page 14

A NEW HONEY BOARD

CHAIRMAN APPOINTED BY GOVERNMENT

PRODUCERS TO ELECT REPRESENTATIVES

ASSOCIATION TSLSOBAIU AUCKLAND, AP ril 7 -

The differences between the Government and the New Zealand Honey Control Board reached their climax to-day with an announcement that Mr Wallace W. Nelson, of Otorohanga, had been appointed chairman, as the Government representative, of an entirely new board. It was also stated that the resignations of the old board, Messrs J. R. Butland. (chairman) and P. H. Hillary, both of Auckland, and W. Watson, of Canterbury, had been accepted. Two producers’ representatives have yet to be appointed to the new board, but Mr Nelson and the Honey Section of the Internal Marketing Department have already assumed the work of the old board. •It was stated by Mr A. H. Honeyfield, Auckland manager of the Internal Marketing Department, for Mr F. R. Picot, Director of Internal Marketing, that the appointment of Mr Nelson had been approved by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the Minister for Agriculture (the Hon. W. Lee Martin). The two other members of the board will be appointed shortly. It is intended to follow the past procedure of having one representative of North Island producers and one of South Island producers. Appointments will be made pending arrangements for the election by producers of their own members. Change of Policy Mr Nelson said he did not intend entering any controversy with the former members of the board about the reasons for the change in the direction of the internal and external marketing of New Zealand honey. It was stated, however, that there was more than ample evidence to prove that unco-ordinated export and domestic marketing, coupled with uncontrolled individual selling, had been producing chaotic conditions, which would result not only in a breakdown of the present voluntary marketing system, but would also prove to the detriment of the industry as a whole. Producers had beep selling direct to the consumer, the retailer, the wholesaler, to auction, to New Zealand Honey, Ltd., and to the Export Control Board. Mr Honeyfield said that Mr Nelson was a practical bee-farmer, controlling a large number of hives, and was recognised as one of the most efficient producers in the Dominion. Much of his early experience was obtained at the New South Wales Government apiary. On the completion of his term there, he'had come to New Zealand 14 years agq and established his present farm at Otorohanga. In addition to his Australian and New Zealand experience, however, he had obtained a thorough knowledge of the honey production and marketing methods practised in such countries as Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. For the last five years Mr Nelson had been chairman of directors of New Zealand Honey, Ltd., said Mr Honeyfield, and it had been largely due to his efforts that this producers’ marketing company came into existence. Mr Nelson had also taken a keen interest in the National Beekeepers’ Associatioh of New Zealand, and he was a past president of the association. During his t ;m of office he had presented important evidence to the inquiry held by the Commission of Agriculture into honey marketing control.