Poultry Registration

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6839, 21 April 1932, Page 8

Poultry Registration

To the Editor. Sir, —In your issuo of April Git was reported that the Wellington Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union, at a meeting held in Marton on April 5, had passed a resolution condemning some provisions of tho proposed Poultry Registration Bill. As the publicity given to tho reasons advanced for this opposition is apt to crcato quite. a wrong impression, I should appreciate the privilege of making some comments thereon. In the first place, there is no ground for tho statement that tho registration schcnio “would result in the creation of an army of .inspectors to ’ pry into the homes of private individuals to make sure that not more than a dozen fowls were kept.’’ On the contrary, tho .proposed Act would operate quite efficiently, ns far as registration is concerned, without tho appointment of a single inspector for the' whole Dominion. The Act would apply only to thoso who sell cergg, and each registered poultry-kccp-cr°would bo furnished with a registered number, on the samo lines as have been applied to fruit growers for the last 15 years, thus making registration essential to tho sale of eggs. , The main principles of the proposed Act arc:— 1. That those who keep poultry for their own use, irrespective of the number of birds, would not come under its provisions in any Tcspcct whatsoever. 2. All who sell eggs would be required to register, but no fees would bo charged for less than 12 hens and/or ducks, nor to old age pensioners, registered unemployed and such others as might bo exempted by regulation on tbc ground of hardship. 3. Registrations would apply to hens and ducks only, to be taken in May, when stocks of poultry are at their lowest; fees on a sliding scale, 2/G per 100 birds or part thereof; provision for registration at any post office; all moneys received from registration fees, less cost of collection and administration, to be handed over by the Government to a committee appointed under the Act for expenditure in promoting the best interests of the poultry industry;, every registered poultry keeper, having paid a fee, to automatically become a member of the Poultry Association, with equal voting power; a poll to be taken before the expiration of three years, or alternatively on a requisition, to decide whether the Act shall be repealed or become permanent. Let it be clearly understood: (1) That a person may keep any number of fowls or ducks and not bo affected m any way by the Act if eggs arc not sold; (2) that a person keeping mss than 12 fowls may sell eggs wihout payment <sf a fee. It is estimated that U liens will supply an average household with eggs (about 120 dozen per annum), but if "the owner of less than.l2 fowls finds he can sell a few dozen eggs ho may do so without payment of the registration fee. On this basis those selling eggs from more than 12 birds are keeping poultry partly or wholly for commercial purposes. They will profit, from the operations of the Act am should therefore contribute proportionately to the pool. The Farmers’ Union meeting at Marton said that this was “absurd.’’ If tho proposal were a tax or a license fee for the privilege. o keeping certain poultry, their opinion would not be questioned. . They evidently ’failed to realise that not a penny of the net receipts from registration fees will be retained by the Government, but will be expended by poultry keepers themselves in their own interests. Arc the numerous Acts of Parliament now in operation, for the purpose of assisting other primary industries all absurdities, such as. those relative to the dairy, meat, fruit and honey industries? The primary objects of the registration scheme are to organise the poultry industry and to provide funds for its development on sound lines, including a fund to assist tho export of eggs during the flush season and thereby maintain a more stable price. As the Minister of Agriculture said recently on a public occasion,, many farmers have found poultry an increasingly valuable sido line since tho slump prices of butter, cheese, meat and wool. I therefore appeal to the Farmers’ Union, in the interests of farmers, 'to pause and consider well before pricing obstacles in the way of accomplishing -what is designed to help many of its° own members, their wives and families, in this time of depression and difficulty. The Dominion executive of the Farmers’ Union has agreed to discuss tho proposed Dill with representatives of the Now Zealand Poultry Association before arriving at any decision in regard to tho bill. At the annual conference of tho New Zealand Poultry Association, held last month, it was resolved that I should tour the Dominion and address public meetings of poultry keepers. Meetings will be held in the Manawatu district and will bo advertised in this paper. I trust that farmers and farmers’ wives will be present —wives in particular, because they are undoubtedly the better half,” by far the better half as far as poultry keeping is concerned and I am confident that the principles .and purposes of the bill, when fully understood, will merit and receive their support. I am, etc., J. N. McLEAN, Organiser and secretary, N.Z.P.A. Wellington, ApriL IG.