Mr Taiboys’ Aims For Farm Journal

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30559, 30 September 1964, Page 18

Mr Taiboys’ Aims For Farm Journal

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter/ WELLINGTON, September 29. The Minister of Agriculture (Mr Taiboys) told Parliament tonight that in recommending publication of the “Journal of Agriculture” by private enterprise he was concerned not with the fact it had been losing money but that he wanted it to be an effective extension weapon for agriculture.

During discussion of the Agricultural Department vote. Opposiiton members questioned him about the procedure by which Wilson and Horton, Ltd., of Auckland, had taken over publication of the journal and they suggested that other newspapers could have done an equally good job. Mr Taiboys said the proposal had been widely advertised ?nd attracted many inquiries. Quality was not being sacrificed and the change would mean the journal would now be written by journalists rather than by departmental officers for whom it had become a chore. He agreed that the price would be raised but an offer by New Zealand Newspapers was rejected because they

already published a farming journal. Mr W. E. Rowling (Opp.. Buller) said the House should get a clear explanation of why the proposal which meant doubling the subscription was preferred to one raising it by 2s. Mr S. A. Whitehead (Opp.., Nelson), said other newspapers had agricultural journalists who could do the job and he regarded the farm pages in “The Press” as equal to if not better than any others in New Zealand. Mr Talbo.vs said the journalists of Wilson and Horton j would have full access to the work of the department and accuracy would be checked.