THE AGRICULTURAL CONFERENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CIII, Issue 12242, 30 June 1900, Page 8

THE AGRICULTURAL CONFERENCE.

[Per Peess Association.] WELLINGTON, June , 29: . Tlie Agricultural Conference resumed its sittings this morning.. On the motion of, Mr J. Roberts, the Conference expressed regret that the Hon J. M'Kenzie had'found ■ it necessary to retire from the position: of, Minister of Lands. The following motions' were carried:—That the Government be requested to extend, the telephone system. to country, districts in a greater degree- than at present; that the Conference taka ■ into consideration the annoyance caused to farmers and the injury to stock by irresponsible persons shooting over their lands on Sundays, a practice which' is greatly on the in-' crease, and that Parliament be urged to pass an Act. putting a stop to the pernicious prao, ties that the Agricultural Department be' a-skfed - for a definition of what, constitutes Hereditary ’uusouadness, more' particillariy in the horse section ; that, with a view; to uniformity, of nomenclature of apples and pears, thereby avoiding much confusion and loss- tc growers,--the Department ’be ' asked . to make enquiries as to the cost .of obtaining from the most reliable source a collection of models of all leading and most marketable varieties .of' apples and pears, sets of models to be available for all fruit-grow-ers’'associations and other interested bodies throughout the colonies at cost price. The Chairman read a.' letter from Major Broome, of the Indian Army, remount, service, giving a description of the class of horse used for i artillery and cavalry. ' It was decided to ask the Agricultural Department to send an expert to country districts to examine entires if requested, and issue a certificate as to soundness. The committee appointed to consider the Noxious Weeds Bill reported recommending that tire administration of the Act should be placed in the hands cm local bodies, that it should be obligatory on the part of a local body to cany out the pno' visions of the Act as regards the. first schedule. ragweed to be included. Other clauses t>L the. Bill generally were -approved, ' and; it was recommended- illmt 'dl the Government cannot get the Bill through, that a Bill on similar principles, dealing with cnly Californian thistle, should be introduced. An amendment that-the enforitement of the Bill should be left to the Government, was carried. It : was' decided that Californian.'thistle, ■ blackberry,' and sweetbriar rhould bq deemed weeds to be compulsorily eradicated, other weeds in the second schedule to come into force only on petition of .a County Council. In the event of the failure of the Government to pass the Bill in its present form the Government is to be asked to pass a Californian Thistle. Bill. Motions* were passed that a roll of persons competent to act as judges at shows be compiled and registered ; that some uniform system be adopted by all Agricultural and Pastoral Associations in the matters of issuing members’ and ladies’ rickets, also passes to exhibitors of implements and extra exhibits for any kindred society’s exhibition ; that with a view to encourage exhibitors it is. desirable that members of affiliated associations exhibiting at a show outside, their own district .should receive the same privileges as members of the association where the said. show.is held It was decided to hold the next Conference i trsyo yeaisJaficca iulh&'Sqtitli,ldagtd t , -The

Hon. W. C. - Walter, Acting-Minister of Agriculture, shortly addressed the Conference, which then finally closed. THE THERD DAY’S PROCEEDINGS. [From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, June 28. The. visit,of the delegates _to the works of the two Wellington Freezing Companies was greatly appreciated. Everyone was surprised at tho enormous growth of the freezing industry in the southern part of the North Island. Tho Wellington Meat Export, Company, Ngahauranga,, and the Gear Meat Company, Petone L , are spending £20,000 cr more in additions to their works and plant, which will make almost or quite equal in capacity to the Canterbury establishments. Besides this, the latest appliances are in use for meat preserving and canning, a most important part of these companies’ business, fethnongering, manure making, and so on. Neither sheep nor bullocks in the yards and cooling-sheds were fairly representative of North Island Hocks and herds, most, being rough in quality and backward in condition. It. was seen that careful selection and grading of the best carcases or parts were made for • export. Other’s were sold locally and others preserved or boiled down. After inspection of the -works the visitors were entertained at luncheon at Petono by the companies. Mr Booth, chairman of the Wellington Meat Export Company; was in the-chair. “ The Queen” ’arid “Our Hosts” were the only toasts. , ' At the sitting in the evening, though the questions disposed of were few they were of great interest. - The opinion was held tha-L the good work of tho Agricultural Department in issuing leaflets was sufficient: at present -without their being asked to appoint agricultural lecturers. The Conference declined! to consider the question of dog tax. The resolution'that the Government should experiment with grasses, fodder crops, gram and forest trees was carried unanimously, while the valuable results of work in - this direction . at Rotarua, : M<nhohaki, Naseby, WVndhain, aiid elsewHere weib • acknowledged'and regret was expressed'-that.they W-er® .-tidf ,'mohe ’ of - by set Here. The W«■•liams, Roberts, and Adams .(Greendale) gave valuable information, and Air Forbes (Cheviot ),M.r M’Lean fNapier)* i^4.: ot "^ rs :?. llt in . a strong plea for forestation. . Tire discussion on the' introduction of ah agricultural text-book to primary rural schools was enlivened by an address by Principal Riley, of the Wellington Technical School. He deprecated a text-book for scholars tintil teachers had made themselves acquainted with the subject. _Mr Bayne (Lincoln College) urged a coutinuati-on course fi oiu tixprimary schools to the university, of which latter the Agricultural College should be a recognised branch. Mr Leadby (Ashburton) urged that every means should be taken to instruct youths in agriculture and reheye them of the disabilities from which their elders had suffered. From Mr Buckley’s remarks upon the usefulness of the telephones at railway stations where there is no telegraph office, to Ee ™ ers i in Southland, it would appear that part of the colony is more favoured with- these modern conveniences than, arc others, and the Conference quite unanimously expressed the opinion that the system should be extended so that farmers could ring up their town agents or consult their doctors. Sunday shooting and coursing, with the attendant injury to stock, was complained of by delegates-from widely remote parts. Though the “Flock Book” was supported by most of the speakers, the opinion was expressed that, without rigid inspection it was not a guarantee of purity of breeding, and the large majority opposed restricting entries at shows to sheep from registered : flqcks. the horse-breeding question cropped. up again, on a proposal to • withhold prizes at shows from* hereditarily unsound horses, and a resolution was passed requesting the Agri-, cultural Department. to allow-Government veterinary surgeons to examine stallions in-the-various districts on the application of owners, and-give a certificate if .the animals are sound. The Department was also ask-, ed to issue a leaflet defining nnsoundness the Ashburton suggestion, that a movable “ Royal ” Show should be instituted in New Zealand was dropped. The committee on noxious weeds reported, generally in favour of the Government Bill, but recommended that it should be made obligatory on local bodies to carry out the Act, and that rag weed should be added to the schedule. The Conference, however, on the motion of Mi Thomas Mackenzie, resolved that the Government should administer the Act, which should apply only to blackberry, sweet-briar and Californian thistle, other and- iess noxious weeds being placed in. a separate sekedole, and to come under the Act, on the petition of a local body, the power of the Government to add to the schedules to- be restricted to weeds not hitherto known -in the colony. The formulation of what appears to be a useful and practical measure was marked by applause. A proposal to form collections of models 'of fruit, correctly named, for the information of growers, was .unanimously supported. Mr Kirk (Government Biologist) stated that a large number had already been. obtained. . Several delegates spoke warmly on the importance of the fruit industry, and the need for correct nomenclature. The order paper having been disposed of, it was resolved, to publish a full report of the proceedings under the,supervision of the Standing Committee. Christchurch, Auckland and Dunedin were -suggested as the location of, the next Conference .in 1902. Tt was resolved that it should be held,in the South Island, but subsequently it appeared certain that Dunedin will be chosen. The Hon W. C. Walker, ActingMinister of Agriculture, briefly addressed The Conference, and the proceedings were 're-moved to the Trocaderb, where luncheon was. given by the Managing Committee, and • some, of the papers read.. The session has beenmost useful and instructive, and the feeling throughout was most cordial.