THE FARM INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 264, 31 July 1908, Page 3

THE FARM INDUSTRY.

NEWS AND NOTES- FOR, THE MAN ON THE LAND.

DEPARTMENTAL MATTERS. . FARMERS' UNION DISCUSSION. . INTERESTING POINTS DEALT WITH.Tho Dominion Conference of tho Farmers' Onion at Wellington yesterday carried its discussions into: tho sphore of departmental ad- ■ ministration, in soveral important directions. Mr. J. D. Ritohie (Secretary for Agriculture) and Mr. E. Clifton (Chief Inspector of Stock) were present in addition to soveral'raembers of Parliament —Messrs. Buddo, Barr, Hall,' . and Lauronson, M.P.'s. Stock and Crop Returns. Mr. Flanagan (Auckland) moved: —"That the stock 'arid agricultural returns be collected through tho Post Offico-similar to tho . manner in -which tho sheep returns were col-. 'lected." - Mr. E. Clifton (Chief Inspector of Stock) said that in'ono district whoro postal collec- ' tiori of returns had been tried the collecting officer reported.thatjthe results wore improving, but in another district, moro scattored and with-': less efficient postal arrangements, there' were -130 ' returns deficient, attributed ■> to tho carelessness of ; tho holders.. He would with'great misgivings any extenthe postal-system to tho whole of tho ■ Dominion. '■' .Tho?returns even now woro not quite accurate, because' of the expense, and the question arose—were theso returns worth collecting every year; might it not be better to hare .an agricultural'census at periods of years?' No jaoubfctliosheep and wheat and r somo other returns were valuable every year, and' these, for' trade.purposes, might bo collected by post, and the others triennially. • Mr. D'Arcy Chaytor (Blenheim) suggested that'returris'.shbuld,be collected by post as : far' as 'possible,'.'and the. defaulters; bo visited by the collectors. '■ 7 .Mr. Wrß. 'Mathe'sori (Eketahuna). agreed with Mr. .Cha>'tor;-.evon if a small fine were . provided_for. defaulters. *. . Mr.' JqiipS approved of Mr. Clifton's..pro- : posal to collect annually;'only tho sheep arid grain returns. ■Mr.' 'H. ■J. Richards '(Levin) said potato,, grass, pig,-and soirio other • returns woro wanted annuallv.. ~... , .. ■ Mr. M'Qucon (SouthlandVand Mr. Clothier; (North Canterbury) 'considered :it ; would' bp safe to leave tho matter,to tlie 1 Department. Mr. Flanagan (tho: rriover)'concurred, and the. meeting adopted this course. , , voterlnarles as Stock Inspectors. . : •••Mr? ; Flanagan''' (Auckland) - moved"That the Yeterinary Department should .have full : control of tho Stock Department, and that none but fully qualified veterinary surgeons bo employed by tho Government as stock in- . spectors."., .' . • ' • .■- Mr.-'M'Queeri. (Southland) thought it would be best to let the question alone. There was a sort of evolution going on in tho Department, and they should allow that movement. longer.to dovelop before they interfered. The riiatter would right itself. ■ : Mr. Elliott (Poverty Bay): Has tbo Veterinary Division ever asked for ■ full control of the Stock Department ? Tho President: I don't know. • Mr.-Elliott: Then, until thoy do, wo should not interfere. '■ , , .. ; Mr.' J. D.vßitchie. (Secretary for Agripul-', ture) asked.' liow'jtho ,proposal-,would worki Presuming. a • qualified; veterinarian. were put i in charge of /a:stock district, 'what 'would tile ■ settlers' expect, from : him? He would, no doubt, bo oxpccted to go and attend to stock all over tho district in cases of colic, calving, etc ■; and be at the,.beck; and'call of. pvory-: body: , Ho;:was, afraid,that-under such conVditiona a ; Government; .Veterinarian , .would notlivb;very 10ng..-The duties of »stock iri : ; ■' spector were very varied, it, : sufficient to have a Government veterinarian available for, cases of disease which might be; said to be of public concern. Perhaps the time, would, come-later on .when the. Department would have; to "go further. ■ .w Mr Hi. J.'>Richards;.(Levin') said-more, vet-; : ' erinaryJsurgeons were'Warited.in the country, :districts7. but it might .be .best. to. ask tho . Government to subsidise private veterinarians ~ for the settlers. •: Finally, under presures of :the meeting, the ■ motion was withdrawn.';-' ■■■ -~ ■ r : vt. Noxious Weads and. Seeds. •; Major Bell (Auckland) 'moved' That the. Noxious Weeds- Act;bo' enforced and applied equally to Native lands wherever samo adjoin,, ■lands occupied by Europeans." : . •' Mr: 'Elliott. (Poverty Bay) said it .ivas im- '• possible :to tako - a .whole pa to ■ Court; for''tho: sake of a little briar or a patch of Californian thistlo. What was; wanted'was .that Native ■T landsv should ! -be .iri'dividualised; they could thon summon the Mac(ri responsible." ■; Mr. Maxwell•-(Taranaki) expressed a simir lar view. r"• Mr. Middleton' (Southland) ■ suggested, the . Government-itself should be. asked to clear Native lands. (Laughter.) ■■ • v - , ■ : Mr;-Mathoson:'That, would hurry them to individualise the Native lands. Mr; A.- E. Russell (Palmerston North) said thin-'was a fair proposition, because tho'"Gov-, oniment were, the reversionary owners of all " the Native lands of tho Dominion.., -i. - ; Mr J. D. Ritchie (Secretary for--iAgriciil-'-turo); admitted' there \vas a' difficulty 'while the lands'were not individualised. . , Major Bell said in Auckland .this,was ono. of the most- pressing of all' queslions. .' ■ .. Tho motion was'; made to extend to. Crown lands,'and carried. , • .- V/ced-lnfcctod-Seeds. ■ Mr. Orbell (Otago)' moved: —" That tho ■ Government' bo asked to prohibit the sale and - distribution'of all grass seed screenings which contained weed seeds." • ' Mr. : Middleton- (Southland) said thoro were individuals who had bought up screenings and jiokl them broadcast.^. , , Mr. Matheson (Eketahuna) considered : . screenings, were possibly -useful for some, lands if the weed seeds were not noxious; 'Mr. ! M'Laren. (Nblson) approved of the useof the word "noxious," because otherwise any plant out of place was a weed. Mr. M'Quecn ' (Southland) - would prohibit the use of screenings.altogether. , , Mr - J.- D. Ritchio (Secretary for ig.ieuliuic) said, the:, Noxious ,Weeds Act already provided, against screenings, containing noxi-. ou! seeds.' . , . .; .'Finally,, it was resolved to thank the Dcv.partriierit. for .its work in the past, and to ask -it to enforco tho. Act moro strictly, so . : as to prohibit the. distribution of grass seed containing iv.eed,>seeds;.. Concemirig chnff, 3fr. Ritchio said a Bill . was on. the;point':of completion'to deal with shaft. ' AN UNTIMELY RUJIOtR. , ; "A, rumour is current" (says tho • "Pas-' toralists' Reviev;" of Australia) "that the ocean shipping companies having had aperies of bad years intend to raise the freight on wool. Tho timo : is peculiarly inopportune for the'pastoralist now that values are so low, and we, hopo tho , shipping companies will not .take such a step, not only without carofully considering. its effect upon probut also without making their owii necessities patent. In a general way we. . know that most of the, ocean shipping companies have not been prospering tho last two or three years, .and that in consequence they . have raised passenger fares and frozen meat 'rates. But-wool freights are already heavy, and'; a, serious -factor in tho return to the grow-er, who is already mulcted by tho railways on a heavier scalo than any other producer. It is ..to be hoped that the rumour is unfounded, or, that the companies will bo able to wait until wool prices get better,'arid the effects of -tho present drought pass . away." , ' The Melbourne ."Argus ' says:—"While tho rate of freight on wool after the middlo of September,is not yet settled, it is not. likely in any case to exceed 9-16 d. por lb. In tho meantime, growers' , wool is being shipped under the ordinary,contracts at per lb., or 1-I6d. less than the above rates, whilo after the middle.', of September growers will be aiked the same rais as will be current for buyers."

-MASTERTON A. AND P. ASS.ociation. / ANNUAL MEETING OF MEMBERS. The annual meeting of tho Masterton-A. and P. Association was held it'Masterton yesterday (writes our Wairarapa _ correspondent). . There was a fair attendance of members, . and tho president, Mr.. J. D. Cruickshank, occupied tho chair.' ■ ■ In moving tho adoption of ' tho balancesheet and report, which has already appeared in the columns of The Dominion, the president said members _ might congratulate themselves upon the doings of tho past year. ■It was worthy of notice that there'were no outstanding subscriptions. . The shifting of the show grounds was memorable, and on that subject he wished to thank Mr.; James M'Gregor for'tho service, which ho had rendered. The speaker regretted that the amalgamation proposals with the Wairarapa A.' and P. Association had fallen through, but ho hoped that tho time would come when there would be ,' one show for the Wairarapa. He referred with pleasure to the help which, he had received from his committee, and especially mentioned tho name of Mr. G. C. Sunimerell in connection with matters of finance. The next show would be the last on the old grounds, and he trusted that the. new committee would use every effort to have the Solway grounds in good order for tho show of 1910. ~ In seconding the motion Mr. D. M'Gregor, jun., touched, mainly on the past efforts of the Association, and he expressed opinion that it would be a good idea in connection with offices of vice-presidents that one member'should represent town, ' and the : other country interests. , . The motion was carried unanimously., ,' The following was the result of the, eleotion of officers: — Mr. _D. M'Gregor, jun. (unopposed); vice-presidents,. Messrs. William Perry, and H. Morrison; treasurer, Mr.^ Moodie (unopposed); general committee, Messrs. A. M'Master, J. Strang, G. Donald, J. D. Cruickshank, B. Rayner,' W. E. Bidwill, A. Donald, H. A. Matthews,\R.' Smith, G. C. Summerell, A. G. Pilmer, W. H. Buicky.W. Cooper, W. J. Welch, R. J. Dagg, 0. C: Cooper, G. Shaw, C. F. Vallanco, J. Morris, J. C. M'Killop, A. J. Stone.wigg, A. J.; Perry, W. D. Watson, E. Harper, T'. P., Lett, J. P. Perry, C., E; Daniell, D. Cdselberg,-,J:!' E. Perry. ,V. ' Six of the'new members belong to South Wairarapa.; . . ; - . ; • , Mr.. J. B. : Keith'was appointed auditor, at a remuneration of five guineas. In returning thanks for liis eleotion to office of vice-president Mr. ; William Perry stated -that his return was a refutation of a letter which had been going tho - rounds of the Press throughout the Wellington province. The next", two years of. tho history.,of- .the 1 Association would probably, record some very hard work, arid he trusted that he would fulfil expectations. ,iI Messrs. ,D. • M'Gregor, H. Morrison, ,W. Perry, arid J r B. Moolie also' returned thanks for their election, and made a point of asking - members to stick together and fight hard in tho interests of the .'Associations •: . - - ■ - . . .-, -Speeches of ; similar nature were also delivered by •'. Messrs. James 1 M'Gregor, J. Morris, and R; Smith. ' • ' Thirty-eight 'new. members were 'elected, bringing,'' the' -membership, up : - to something .over 700. •; 1 -: .' '• ; Votes- ofthanks: were' accorded • the- president andV general committee for past work, donors' to.the Solway' grounds,' Wellington and/other' donors-to tbo prize funds, arid to tho local Press and' The Dominion. ,