A GROWING INDUSTRY

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 5 January 1928, Page 5

A GROWING INDUSTRY

HORTICULTURE IN DOMINION THE GOVERNMENT BONUS. VALUE OF AFFORESTATION. (BY TELEGRAPH—SPECIAL TO “THE STAR.") WELLINGTON, Jan. 4. In declaring open tne annual cornerence of ilie .New Zealand Association of -Nurserymen to-day, Lie Minister of Agriculture (tne non. O. J. Hawken) stressed the value of Horticulture, wiueii, he said, covered a very wide field. Not only was it a business, but its practice involved high principles and high ideals. There could, be no doubt tfiat tfie industry was going ahead rapidly, and last year it had' not been necessary for the. Government to come to the assistance of 'commercial orchardists. That was a very satisfactory result, both for the Government and for the fruitgrowers. Referring to tfie recent Government extension of the fruit guarantee from 10s to 11s, he said that he felt that the money was. well spent, for it helped- to plaie the industry on a sound basis. The Act passed last session for the registration of horticulturists would be of great value, as skill .and knowledge were essential in the pursuit of horticulture. He hoped the Act would mean the formation of a skilled body of horticulturists. AFFORESTATION.

Discussing afforestation, the Minister said that tfie Government had in the last two years planted 52,000 acres. New Zealand was going to be a great forest country, and in the not very distant future the timber industry would be one of the. most important in the Dominion. It was the Government’s aim to plant- 300,000 acres by. 1935. At the present time, taking into account the areas l planted by private companies, there were 233,000 acres planted in trees. Much land which would never be of any great value from the farming point of view could be used 1 for afforestation purposes. Experiments were being carried out in the manufacture of paper pulp, and so far they had been attended by very encouraging results. At present a commercial test was being carried out, and it was hoped,to have the result within six weeks.' If .that test was successful, and he had every reason to believe it would be, it would give a big fillip to the industry. The Minister stressed the desirability of making efforts to beautify the countryside. A lot was being done, particularly in the Taranaki district, but more could be done. There were too many waste spaces which could be made beautiful by the planting of trees, and that- work should be commenced at once.

SUMMER TIME -APPRECIATED. (BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.’ WELLINGTON, Jan. 4. The president (Mr T. Waugh), in his address, referred to the great benefit the Summer Time Act had conferred on horticulturists. .“Undoubtedly,” said Mr. Waugh, ‘‘Mr. Sidey’s measure has been a good help,, and we owe him a deep debt of gratitude. The extra hour of daylight means a wonderful aid to gardening.” The Institute of Horticulture Act passed last year inaugurated a new era, and the first batch of diplomas awarded on experience had now been granted, 21 out of the 23 applicants having been successful. He emphasised the necessity of specialising, and not, over producing, and of striving for -quality, j Mr. T. Waugh was re-elected president, Mr. D. «J. Burrows (Gore) vicepresident for the South Island, and Mr. V. C. Davies (New Plymouth) vice-president for the North Island. Among the remits adopted were ones urging the necessity for the' registration of all growers of plants for sale; for the registration and inspection of all nurseries where plants .are grown for sale; that the railway authorities be asked to fix the same rates on fruit and vegetables, whether for private use or public sale; that the 1929 conference be held at Christchurch.