AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 476, 7 April 1909, Page 5

AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT.

y' THE NEW ORGANISATION. WHAT;RUMOUR EXPECTS. The-Prime Minister's scheme of remodelling the Agricultural Department, as so far explained, seems to imply not so much a reduction of - expenditure as a chango of relationship between officials and heads. The Prime Minister proposes, apparently as a result of consultations with tho Secretary for Agriculture and other officers, that the responsible heads of the surviving divisions shall have .direct access to tho Minister. Hitherto the regulations or etiquette of the Department have required that communica- I tion with .the Minister from tho heads of divisions should bo made through tho Secretary. "This involved a certain amount of red tape, and it is considered by some that, with a.'Minister of sound judgment in charge, the change may make for greater efficiency of work and for greater economy of the energies of;-the experts.' '■.""'■ There are two directions in which salaries may perhaps be saved, although tho Prime Minister has not j;et indicated his full intentions, f These savings may result from the promotion 'of the Secretary for Agriculture to the.'position of ..chairman , of tho Land Purchase Board, and the retirement, under the age'regulation, of tho State Apiarist. The "Apiarist;-Mr.' I. Hopkins, 'will not, , it is believed, have a direct successor. When he w.as appointed State Apiarist a few years ago it was recognised that there was great need of ;a specialist, whose judgmont could be depended on to put the industry upon' a sound footing. Mr. Hopkins, though advanced in years, was specially. suited for the task, fop besides being a man who was'much liked by those who had personal dealings with him, he was, and is, one of the highest apicultural authorities in the world. His researches which resulted in the formulation of; valuable -rules for determining the ripeness (and consequently (the keeping qualities) of 'honey by tests have been favourably reported on in'other, countries; and his Act of Parliament, which has resulted in the,-abolition of what were known as "box" hives, is admitted by Americans to be the: envy of. their experts. The object of the Act is'to simplify the stamping out of foul brood and other diseases, which box hives are alleged to harbour. " , In some important senses. Mr. Hopkins may be said to have.left the part of the division to' which he was attached in excellent'order.- During his tenure two apiary inspectors were appointed, chiefly to see that bee-keepers complied, with the Act, and tu give them, advice. It is considered likely that these inspectors will continue in their present' status, reporting directly to the Biologist, who was Mr. -Hopkihs's chief) There would then ■ be no officer • bearing the title of State Apiarist, and a- salary would be saved.. : . In regard to the secretaryship, it is held that there must certainly be a secretary for agriculture, and it has now been definitely stated that Mr. Ritchie will-not continue to hold that .office as well as his new appointment. The saving of a salary is, in conjecture, involved in the .promotions which 'would follow his vacation of the secretaryship. . Several names have been mentioned >'as possible successors 'to Mr. Ritchie, but''most prominent among them is that of Mr':.;Gliftoh: This officer shows the longest period \of:.service (24 .years) among the officers'at present in charge of divisions, and he has'-had a varied experience in his Departmental career. He has been chief clerk and chief , inspector of stock at Auck-. land, chief'..inspector of stock and agriculture for vNew ..Zealand, director of, .experiment farms , , , ; and'-head'of We J d3iry - inspection , division. , -At' a recent. gathering of farmers at Ruakura Experiment Farm, Mr Bollard, M.P., V/went .so far as- to - say that farmers would .regret the day when Mr' Clifton would-have to give up the position ci director of experiment farms to become, the secretary for Agriculture. Doubt has been raised, however, as to Mr. Clifton's willingness to accept the position, and his age may also be considered a disadvantage nvli e i? e,v Sectary is not to be Mr. UUton, then he may probably .be sought among the following 'officers,, whose excellent work, and high positions in'the Depart- . ment, and length of service, . are held to give them .strong claims to consideration: Mr. F. S.. Pope, chief clerk (length of service 23 years); Mr.T. W. Kirk, biologist, 16 years). /;■'.'. , : . ' The reorganisation in the smaller branches of the Department'seems likely to attach to the Secretary's loffico direct the divisions' of Poultry, Hempi Chemistry, and possibly Viticulture; and to.leave as , tho main divisions of tho , Department those of Biology Veterinary; Science, Stock, and, Dairying! The Prune .Minister spoke of "three -or four -.divisions.; Possibly the addition of the division of stock to that of veterinary science is in contemplation as a result of the new appointment of Secretary when that takes place. This would reduce the number ot main divisions to the Prime Minister's Three." '. • ' ; ■'-. ■•.'■.