POULTRY INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2752, 22 April 1916, Page 15

POULTRY INDUSTRY

THE CONFIDENCE. (By J. 13. llerrott.) , Tho sixth annual conference of tlie Now Zealand Poultry Association opens to-iluy in tho Masonic Hull, Boulcott Street. Yesterday quite a large number of delegates arrived from tho south, and to-day their number will he increased by delegates from all parts of tho North Island. Judging from tho order paper some very valuable remits are to ho dismissed, and addresses given on educational'subjects by some of the leading poultry 'men in the Dominion. Tho sessions are open to all poultrymeu and those interested in the poultry industry. There is no charge for Admission so that it is to lie hoped local poultrymeu will make freo use of the conference to profit by the information given them. Last year's conference was productive of much' good, and valuable assistance was given by'the Government, as the result of requests made to them by tho deputation to tho Premier. Wo note the request for legislation this year is on modest lines, and governed by a judicious regard to economy, in consequence of tho war and the many calls made on the country. Off to the . Front. There arc quite a number of poultrymen in training at Trentham, and oppor-. tuaity will be taken by the_ conference to ontertain as many as possible at the dinner to-night. Nearly every reinforcement 'is represented by young poultrymon who have nobly responded to their country's call, and gone to the Empire's defenoe. f Brighter Prospects. In an interview with southern delegates to the oonferenco we learn that the poultry industry in the south has bright prospects for'the year.. The price of poultry "foods ihas fallen considerably, and producers are encouraged to increase their holdings.' Notwithstanding the general suspension of tourist and passenger steamer traffic, eggs and poultry are iu good demand, and prices high. The southern men report great advancement in the centralisation of poultrymen's products, with the result that the public are better suited as regards price and quality of eggs and i)oultry. The Egg-Laying Test, ■. Mr. J. AV. Green, president of the New Zealand Utility .Poultry. Club, Christchuroh, is, a visitor to the conference today. As a producer, Mr. Green has had a distinguished career, having won the test for. 1915, aud on several occasions has been in the prize money. He stands high in the esteem of fellow producers', and as president of the -club has done much to promote its interests. He is a keen enthusiast in poultry-breeding, and is a good judge of poultry. An effort is to be made at the conference to obtain the cooperation of the Government so that the returns of the test will be under Government control, and attested to as official. It would mean much to have the figures as official, especially in other countries, where nearly ail the tests are run under State control. Mr. Green will have charge of this remit, and introduce it on behalf of his club. ' .. .. Government Assistance. During the past year tho Government has given valued assistance to the poultry industry, and the delegates from the south speak highly of the services given by the poultry instruotors, Messrs. I'. Brown, C. J. Cussen, ind A. E. Calisbury. 4lr. Cussen, who has his headquarters at Christchurch, has already done splendid work in Canterbury. It takes tamo to see the result of one's'work in a pioneer industry, aud in Canterbury there is lairge scope for development, Mr. Cussen has applied himself enthusiastically'to his work, and has met with hearty support. The Government instruotors, of whom there are three, cannot cope with the volume of work before them. Instruction in better methods of produotion and marketing are needed by almost every famer, who bas as yet not realised the possibilities of poultry-keeping as au adjunct to the farm. -In many .ways , the Government has helped producers, during the year, and tho Department of Agriculture has ghown itself fully aliro to the great work it has in hand. 1 Stamping of Eggs." The order paper' of the conference contains some valuable remits which, if given effect to, cannot fail to bo of value to tha'industry. Other remits arc. premature and unlikely to be of sorvico to any great degree. Speaking to Mr. J. Balch, | a southern delegate, he claims that the compulsory stamping of t'ggs will be of grjat assistance in protecting the publio from inferior eggs. Thousands of eggs are daily being purchased by the public that are unfit- for . consumption, especially during the summer months. 'This is not done by farmers who wish to profit by the selling of 1 bad eggs, but is the result of indifference and. negligence in marketing. In New. York .recently four dealers were eaph fined ,£2O for selling bad eggs to the public. If such a law wore enforced in tho Dominion, and each offouco were met with a similar fine, pounds' would be"raised in a month. 1 Selling had eggs is ail indiotable offence in' America, but. day j after day in New Zealand the public has to suffer in the purchase of bad eggs. Mr. Balch claims that honest producers have to share the blame of the neglectful ones, and is desirous of protecting the public by making it compulsory that all new-laid eggs should he stamped as such, The Benefits of the Scheme, Mr. Balch 'gives as his reasons for stamping eggs , the folowing(1) Government control is exercised-under the Pure Foods Act for the protection of the public for ni.tny of tlie necesaries of life, and as one of the chief foods eggs should be placed in the same category. (2) If all eggs were stamped, the seller of bad eggs would readily be detected and punished for the offence. (3) A : mora uniform price could be obtained throughout the year, as the consumer would get better value for his ( money, and lead to increased consumption of eggs. (4) Bad eggs associate the producers with a dishonest trade, and spoil the public confidence in the industry. \ (5) By the farmers and producers being compelled to stamp their eggs, the storekeeper- would have to pay better prices, as the present losses through "bad eggs would be obviated. To maintain his reputation the. merchant or salesman would have to sell surplus ejgs promptly and not hold them for a rise iif prices, one of the reasons of bad eggs being placed on the market. ' (6) Stamping eggs would set a good example to outside countries, and afford solid grounds' that all imported eggs bo stamped. . . Improvement. There is no doubt some remedy is needed not only to protect the consumer £mt to arrest (he waste in had eggs. The ■ Government instructors are doing good service, but it will take many years to bring producers intp line so that each • egg may be guaranteed. The public are long suffering,-and it that they do not rise in protest against such dishonest practice®. The reason is that women usually put up with the trouble. Husbands and cooks will not trouble their heads, and beyond an occasional growl at the merchant the matter is unheeded. We will point out to Mr. Balch that all -imported eggs in shell have to be stamped, with the country of origin. This amendment of the Pure Food Act was gazetted recently. The Act does not go far enough. Asiatic eggs can come in by thousands in liquid form, and there is no means of detecting the country of origin. In Australia they hare the sjjmo trouble, but they put on Cd. a dozen duty and effectively shut out all Asiatic eggs. With this heavy duty American egg.» make little profit, iri going to Australia. lit New Zealand the duty is only threepence per dozen. The compulsory stamping of eggs is not on the order paper-, for the conference, but it 'would be of interest to know what the leading poultry producers think about it. Aggressive Work, As already mentioned, the conference will be engaged in aggressive work for the industry. It has always been charac : | teristic of previous conferences that they were governed by good feeling and intelligent discussion. We have no doubt the present conference will stand aufchis invaluable in its work. The industry is making steady progress, and while aiming.high there is no need to rush things. Improved marketing, better quality, concentrntion of supplies, dissemination of literature, and a more general use and recognition of tho poultry Instructor*, ars what, the conferees dflkgates should, aim i to inculcate to-day.

N.Z. UTILITY POULTRY CLUB'S NEW. COMPETITIONS. FIRST 'WEEK'S RESULTS. The' official results of tho .first week of tlie New Zealand Utility Poultry Club's twelfth egg-laying competition tor fowls for tho week ended Tuesday, April . Hj, are us follow LIGHT BREEDS. Total for week. Yerral Bros., B.L 27 ' Brackenfield Farm, B.L, 6 W. Davey, W.L 33 J. B. Merrett. W.L. 17 It. G. Shearman, W.L — Herelftunga Poultry Co., W.L 2 Hz Ball, W.L 1 M. A. Currin, AV.L 31 Dalmuir Poultry Yardß, W.L 1 Mrs. H. Graham,-W.L 5 J. Wordsworth, W.L 1 H. E. Ross, W.L. - 11 H. James, W.L. 10 C. J. Norton, W.L 26 , Alfred Eaton, W.L. - •' 2 M. H. Walker, W.L 32 G'rcen Bros. (No. 2), W.L 5' H. Leger, W.L 28 J. Nancarrow/ W.L. IV > Calder Bros., W.L 11 R. Pounsford, AV.L. 15 A. W. Adams, W.L M A. E. Phillips, W.L. 11 T. Kennedy, AV.L 2 V. J. Hill, AV.L 22 B. P. L. Clayson, W.L 4 T. E. Conway, AV.L 8 Heretaunga P.C, (No. 1), , W.L. 12 Rangiuru Egg Ranch, W.L. 15 S. Dick, W.L 22 G. Gee, W.L ; 18 H. C. Yates, W.L 23 E. P. Amyes, W.L 31 A. E. Wilson, AV.L 19 Mrs. J. Mills. AV.L. 17 A. G. Brailey, AV.L 17 Green Bros. i.No. 1), W.L. 6 Atkinson Bros., AV.L ' — A. A. Hoare, AV.L — L. T. AVright, W.L 29 To Anau Utility Stud, W.L — T. M'Tlwraith, AV.L — R. A. Lazarus, AV.L — H. AV. Bower, W.L 3 H. S. Woodiiorth, W.L .' 25 Hokowhitu Poultry Co,, W.L. ... 11 Calder Bros., W.L 15 J'. B. Merrett (No. 1), AV.L til Jack Green, W.L. 16 Total 356 THIRD HEAVY BREED TEST. Total for T. (Kennedy, W.W — Green Bros., AV.AV ; '7 W. Knight, AV.P.R-. 4 T A. S. Cooper, R.I.R. .... .' 10 Miss E. AVillis, 8.0. 2 C. J. Norton, B.O; — T. E. Conway, 8.0 -M ! J. Nancarrow, 8.0 19 Aliss J. James, 8.0 25 T. Dowthwaite, S.W. . 5 A. , AV. Adams, S.AV 21 Total 107 FIRST SINGLE PEN TEST.' Total for . Week. A. S. Cooper, R.I.R. — A. S. Cooper, R.I.R 7 R. H. James, W.L. ; 4 T. L. AVright, Ay.L, 1... '- Rangiuru Egg Ranch, W.L — Green Bros., AV.L .'. 8 Calder Bros.,' AV.L. 7' AA r . Davey, AV.L, 1 - J. B. Merrett, AV.L 2 A. E. Wilson, W.L f> Mrs. J> Mills, W.L 6 Atkinson Bros., AV.L. 4 B. Pi L, Clayson, W.L 2 J. Wordsworth, W.Li.. i Total 45 FOR DUCKS. The New Zealand Utility Poultry. Club's seventh egg-laying test for duties. Returns for the first week aro as follow:— Total . . for. ; week. , W. v Knight, I.R — Heretaunga Poultry Co., I.R 12 H. AV. Bower, I.R 7 Total 19 The letters after each entry denote the breed, as,under:—B.L., Brown Leghoruj AV.L., White Leghorn; S.W., Silver Wy-. aiidotte; R.1.R., Rhode Island Red; AV.AV., White AA r vandotte; 8.0., Black Orpington ; AV.P.R,, AA'hito Plymouth Rack; 1.R., Indian Runner.