A WORLD TOUR

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 46, 23 August 1927, Page 4

A WORLD TOUR

FARMERS' PROBLEMS

DR. JtEAKES TO, INQUIRE

;■■ In. accordance with the announcement made: some weeks ago, and in conformity, .with the .Go verumenL'o policy of sending high officers of Departments on' occasional tours. abroad to acquire first-hand knowledge of subjects in which- they an interested, Dr. d. J. Beakej. (Director-General of Agriculture) will leave on Saturday o na world visit . of; investigation of problems ofinterest to'primary,producers. He will also-attend the Imperial Agricultural Research Conference which is to open in; London^ on" 4th "October." Apart- from the United Kingdom, the countries Dr. Beaked will visit will be Denmark, Hoi-, land, Belgium, France, and South Africa. Mr. T. Rigg, of the Cawthron Institute, who left New Zealand some time-ago for- America and Great Britain, will aIBO attend the Imperial Agricultural Besearch Conference). .

Among other things, Dr. Reakes will inquire into the diseases of dairy cows,' and he will make a close investigation, of the work being-done in connection with mineral contents of pastures and animal nutrition generally. At Leeds and Bradford he will discuss matters relating to New Zealand wool, particularly at Leeds University, where he will meet Prof essor Barker, to whom sample fleeces of New Zealand wool have been sent. Foot-and-mouth disease will be another matter of inquiry, besides questions concerning the Dominion's' meat export trade and the possibility of ,reopening the export trade in Btud stock from Great Britain to New Zealand. Attention will also be given to the systems of agricultural education followed: ir. England and Scotland and on the Continent. • . . .

In Trance Dr. Reakes will inquire into; the results attained from Dr. Calinette's method * of inoculation against tuberculosis in animals, and, if possible, Dr. Voronoff will be interviewed regarding the results of his glandgmftiag operation as applied to farm animals.

The 'veterinary research laboratory near Pretoria, in South Africa, will be visited by Dr. Reakes/ who will also visit Rhodesia to obtain information concerning a special type of vaccine; for contagious abortion in cows, which is stated to be ' meeting with much success,* -

The Minister of Agriculture (the Hon.; O. J. Hawken) states that a beginning has bees made to test out this vaccine in New Zealand, and the information Dr. Reakes hopes to obtain in Rhodesia should prove of great assistance to the work ia New Zealand. This particular vaccine, says the Minister, seems to hold out some promise, and it is certainly free from the senous objection of converting inoculated animals into 'I carriers "of the disease ■ which has rightly prevented New Zealand adopting the use of a live vaccine, which was at one time credited with giving: good results,- but now seems to be going out of favour. ' Dr. Reakes will return to New Zealand" about the end of February or the beginning of March. " - :