MEN ON THE LAND

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 16, 18 July 1918, Page 3

MEN ON THE LAND

NEW ZEALAND COUNCIL OP AGRICULTURE

THE CONFERENCE CONTINUED

The fifth annual conference of the New Zealand Council of Agriculture was continued yesterday afternoon, Mr. G. A. Mac Donald (Orari) being in the chair.

REMITS CONSIDERED. Conference dealt with various remits. The first of these, from Manawatu, was as follows:—"That this council, believing the commercial and industrial prosperity of this Dominion after the war depends in a large measure upon the present education, of our children, urges the Government that preparation be commenced immediately for the extension and improvement of our education system, especially in the following directions:—(a) More and better buildings and grounds; (b) smaller clases and more adequate staff of fully trained teachers; (c) better grants to School Committees for maintenance; (d) extension of medical and dental examination and treatment of school children; (c) improvement in technical education." The remit was moved by Mr. T. R. Hodder (Palmereton North), and carried unanimously, after 6ome discussion, during which the importance of education was stressed. Mr. H. A. Russell (Hawkes Bay) moved the following remit:—"That, in the opinion of this conference, the establish-ment-of a national hydro-electric scheme for the Dominion is of the utmost importance as an aid to the production and establishment of primary and secondary industries, likewise the general development of the country. The conference suggests that the Government be urged to further the project of a, State hydroelectric sclieme without delay as being the chief economic work to be undertaken." The remit was discussed at some considerable length and carried. Other remits on the same subject as follows were carried :— Masterton: "That the Government be urged to proceed with the Electric Power Board Bill." Canterbury: "That the Governments be asked to appoint an Advisory Board to assist the Government in the distribution and sale of electricity." Mr. A. W. Rodger (Southland) read an interesting paper on "The Importance of the Electric Power Boards Bill to Agricultural and Pastoral Industries," for which he was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. There were several suggestions dealing with the Dominion's timber supplies. A Nelson remit was: "That this conference views with alarm the rapid depletion of our native timbers, and strongly urges upon the Government and all owners of land the great importance of instituting a vigorous scheme of afforestation on our i waste areas, and would particularly urge the employment of returned soldiers -upon this work if any difficulty is found in securing employment for them." The remit was carried. Hawkes Bay, Taranaki, and Manawatu sought the support of conference for the following proposal: "That in the interests of the dairy industry of the Dominion,, the Government be urged .to prohibit the export of white pine timber from New Zealand. Also that the Government and all owners of land be urged to at once plant trees of a suitable character for the making of cheese cases and butter boxes." Conference adopted 'the remit.. ■

A similar remit, emanating from Wairarapa and East Coast, was also carried. The opinion- was expressed that if the export to Australia"'was prohibited, Australia might retaliate by prohibiting the export to New Zealand of her hard timbers. An interesting paper.on "The Tractor on tho Farm " was read by Mr.' G. N. Hall, of Christchurch. He emphasised the value of and economy of working of the tractor, which he said had come to stay. Mr. Hall was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his address. FREEZING WORKS LICENSES. The following remit from Gore was moved by Mr. Copland and seconded by Mr. Turnbull :—"That the Government take into consideration the adyisability of the granting of licenses to freezing works, and that such licenses be subject to annual inspection by either the Stock Department or some other inspector set up by the Government, and 1 that all charges, conditions of freezing, especially compulsory purchasing by the freezing companies of their clients' byproducts from their stock, be engrossed on such license." The remit met with opposition, it being held by several speakers that the present was not an opportune time to do anything which would in any way hamper the freezing companies. The remit was lost by a large majority. ■ . ' jyr.-O. M'Elrqy (Feilding) moved and Mr. Eeid (Feilding) seconded, that the Inspection of Machinery Act be so amended as to abolish the annual inspection of oil engines, which it wa3 held was quite unnecessary. The remit was lost.

•THE BABBIT PEST. Remits dealing with the rabbit pest were moved as follow :■ — Masterton : "That the Agricultural Department be asked to take drastic steps to keep the rabbit pest within bounds." Waikato : "That this conference re- ■ c6mmends to the Government that the Rabbit Nuisance Act be amended in tho direction of making/ it applicable to country held by both small and large holders, and to that end the conference suggests that Part 111. and IV. of the Rabbit Nuisance Act, 1908, be amended and joined up into one workable part providing for'more extended rating than already in the Act, but with no further subsidy on rates than the 3-16ths of one penny as at present provided under Part 111., and with powers to borrow for rabbit-proof fencing. The area over which a board may be created to bo reduced to 500 acres or more." Mr. B. C. H. Tripp agreed with the suggestion thrown out by the Minister for Agriculture earlier in the da,y that the only way of really coping with the pest was to altogether prohibit the export _ from the Dominion of rabbits or rabbitskins.

Other speakers advocated the giving of a better tenure to a holder of land to encourage him to deal with the pest more thoroughly. ' Conference adjourned at 5 p.m. until 9.30 a.m. to-day.