PRODUCTION OF HONEY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXV, Issue LXV, 20 June 1913, Page 5

PRODUCTION OF HONEY.

A GROWING INDUSTRY

lhe third annual Dominion conference of beekeepeers was opened in Wellington on Wednesday by the Hon. It. H. Rhodes, who said that from what information he had been able to obtain he saw that there were at present In the Dominion between 11,000 and 12,000 beekeepers, indicating to what extent the industry had grown. In 1906 the output was valued at £22 000 and in 1913 at £45,000. He had- no idea before that so much honey was produced in this country. This year the export, would probably be 135 tons. The Government did something to encourage the industry by means of instructors and inspectors. -At present they had grading at the request of shippers, but he understood that they wished to have it made compulsory, and he would do what he could to persuade Mr Massey to tail in with their wishes. Mr Kirk traced the progress of the industry since the first introduction of -bees into New Zealand, about 1839 1 large number of people had then taken up bees-keeping, in a more or less haphazard fashion until in 1880 foul brood set in, and in about ten years' time the disease had spread- to practically every district, mainly through the lack of care taken 'by the beekeepers. In 1900 the Agricultural Department be^an to take steps to combat the disease, and Mr I. Hopkins was appointed inspector. The Department had done good work, until to-day the industry was on a sound footing. There was need tor improvement, however, as there were 11,000 .or 12,000 beekeepers in iNew Zealand, and only about 200 were members of the Association ' In dealing with the question of adulterated honey, Mr Kirk stated that regulations were now framed by which the Health. Department could prevent any adulterated honey from being put on the market. Mr Kirk emphasised the need for the establishment of. an export trade,- and said that until a proper export trade- was established" no o-ood price was obtained for butter or cheese Ihe export trade for fruit was havin'w the same effect, and there was no reason why"honey should not be placed on the same footing. —Abridged from Wellington papers.