POULTRYMEN

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 March 1926, Page 6

POULTRYMEN

ANNUAL CONFERENCE. (Per Press Association.) DUNEDIN, March 3. The sixteenth annual conference of the New Zealand Poultry Association was commenced this morning, the President, Mr. T. Bruce, being in the chair. There were sixteen delegates present, and also a number of others interested in the industry. Mr. F. Waite, M.P., opened the conference. In the course of the annual address the President said: “I regret to state that the note of warning contained in the report of my predecessor, has come very true. A very considerate amount of tlie unsatisfactory state of affairs has been brought about by the actions of members, or affiliated societies. I feel certain, however, that, in spite of the serious position, which the industry finds itself in to-day, the Association is in a stronger position than it has been at any time since its formation. I trust that, as a result of finding out our weaknesses, we will at this conference, take steps to overcome them, and, with the foundation which has been established for the Association and the industry, I am confident we are on the eve of one of the greatest periods of our Association. All that is required to bring this about is the co-operation of each affiliated Society with one another. In spite of all the opposition, we were successful in bringing such pressure to bear on the Government that wheat was eventually allowed to be imported duty free from the end of September, 1925. Late as this was, it was the means of saving many thousands of pounds to the producers of our Dominion, and it is very regrettable that our application had not been acceded to early in the season. lam also pleased to state that the great effort which your executive has put forward on the food question has had the effect qf definitely placing the food supply on a satisfactory basis, and, for the first time for many years, we have our requirements attended to in a satisfactory manner, as far as supplies are concerned; but it is regrettable that the world’s prices for wheat are still very high. After much investigation, the Department of Industries and Commerce decided not to allow importations of egg pulp, as ample pulp was held in the freezers for present requirements. This effort by bakers has proved that, while we are prepared to produce pulp at prices which the Department has considered reasonable, and which are satisfactory from the producers’ point of view, we need not have the grave fears we have had in this direction for many, years. We can. now with safety, ask a price which will be satisfactory to our producers and the bakers, and not sell pulp at other than these prices.” Messrs A. G. Mumby, E. J. Ross, G H .Bradford, A. M. Love and R. JRoberts, were appointed a committee to report on the question of reorganising the constitution of the Association The conference placed on record its appreciation and congratulation to the Minister of Agriculture on the attitude taken over the wheat question regarding the poultry industry, which would result in preventing any further set-back, which had set in through the high production costs. On the recommendation ot' delegates to the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, it was decided to request the executive of the Association to ask the Government that legislation be introduced for the compulsory control of the export of eggs, regulations for # the compulsory registration of poultry keepers, keeping poultry and offering products for sale; legislation granting a compulsory Dominion egg pulp pool, and the need for proper inspection and absolute prohibition of exposing eggs for sale in a dirty condition.