SEED CONVENTION

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 290, 5 November 1934, Page 3

SEED CONVENTION

GATHERING IN MELBOURNE,

NO GOVERNMENT EXPERTS,

Resentment is felt by seed merchants both in Now Zealand and Australia at the refusal by the New Zealand Government of an invitation for two Agriculture Department seed experts to attend a convention of seed merchants, representative of both countries, to bo held in Melbourne on November 26, 27 and 28. in connection with the Centenary celebrations (says the Auckland Herald). The New Zealand Grain, S?ed and Produce Merchants’ Federation will be represented at the convention by Mr C. F. Rosser, of Auckland. Neither . of the Government experts, Mr E. Bruce Levy or Mr N. Foy, will be able to attend. The opinion of Australian merchants on the matter is expressed in letters received from a leading Melbourne firm, which is making arrangements for the convention, by its Auckland agents. “We learned this morning that the New Zealand Government has turned down flat the request of the association for Mr Levy to attend,” stated one letter. “All members of the association are extremely disappointed and we feel that the New Zealand Government is extremely short-sighted _in missing this opportunity of educating the Australian seed trade through such a medium as Mr Levy as to the value of New Zealand Government certified seed.

“We have been relying to such an extent on Mr Levy coming that we have prepared our agenda paper allowing for his presence, and must now necessarily re-cast same.” It was added that others prominent in arranging the convention, and who appreciated the eminence of Mr Levy, were very disappointed at the Government’s decision. “We learn that your Minister of Agriculture is very unsympathetic toward the seed trade and somewhat blind to the interest of the department in this respect, and we do think that he is losing a splendid opportunity, of advancing the Dominion trade in certified seeds by preventing Mr Levy from attending,” the firm wrote in another letter.

“A splended opportunity has been lost by the short-sighted policy of your Minister of Agriculture, and, after all, New Zealand should have felt honoured to think that the Australian seed trade did desire the presence of two of her departmental officers at the convention.”

A letter was sent by the Melbourne firm’s Auckland agents to the Minister of Agriculture, lion. C. E. Macmillan, on October 10, urging that the matter be reconsidered. A reply was received that the question had been given careful consideration, but it was regretted that circumstances would not permit arrangements being made for departmental representatives to attend.