Changes Planned In Agriculture Dept.

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29865, 4 July 1962, Page 12

Changes Planned In Agriculture Dept.

Changes are planned in the organisation of the Department of Agriculture. New tield superintendencies in the Farm Advisory Division are to be established in Hamilton. Hastings and Invercargill and an assistant field supermtendency m Nelson Horticultural supermtendencies are also to be established at Hamilton. Hastings. Nelson and Dunedin and a new livestock superintendency is to be located at Hamilton Giving details of these proposed changes yesterday, the Director-General of Agriculture, Mr D N R Webb, said that they were designed to give more dynamic administration and to snablc the department to give closer attention to farmers Mr Webb said that when the changes were made, superintendencies of the department throughout the country would be based approximately on land districts There were now four field superintendents. said Mr Webb. One was based on Auckland covering the northern half of the North Island from Taumarunui to North Cape, another at Palmerston North serving the southern half of the North Island including Hawkes Bay. Gisborne and Taranaki, one at Christchurch covering all of the South Island north of the

Waitaki river and another at Dunedin for country south of the Waittki. New Districts

Under the .lew arrangements. Mr Webb said, the Auckland superintendent would operate from Mercer to North Cape, rhe new office at Hamilton would cover South Auckland from Mercer to Taumaraunui.* the superintendent m Palmerston North would cover the Wellington and Taranaki land districts and the new superintendent at Hastings would operate in the Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne land districts.

The new assistant superintendent in Nelson (which would ultimately be raised to full status) would administei the Nelson and Marlborough land districts. Canterbury and Westland would continue to be administered from Christchurch, the superintendent in Dunedin would cover the Otago land district and there would be a new' superintendent in Invercargill. No appointments have yet been made to the new posts Mr Webb said that there were already horticultural superintendents at Auckland Palmerston North and Christchurch. The new horticultural superintendents in Hamilton. Hastings. Nelson and Dunedin would be taken over by the assistant superintendents in these areas.