THE MINISTERIAL TOUR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20638, 9 February 1929, Page 14

THE MINISTERIAL TOUR

A BUSY DAY IN THE CITY, VARIETY OF DEPUTATIONS. PUBLIC WORKS REQUESTS. Though the members of the new Cabinet who have been in Otago for the past 10 days spent the whole of yesterday in the eity, their task was no less arduous than that which confronted them when they were travelling 50 leagues a day in the country districts. Both the Minister of Lands and of Agriculture (Mr G. W. Forbes) and the/Minister of Public Works (Mr E. A. Ransom) were allowed little leisure from the moment they received the first deputation early in the morning. For every body of men that sought the Ministerial ear there were two or three individual petitioners with private troubles, so that the hours were well filled. Associated with Mr Forbes in the hearing of lands and agricultural deputations were Dr C. J. Reakes (Director of Agriculture) and Mr J. B. Thompson (Under-secretary for Lands), and Mr F. W. Furkert (engineer-in-chief of the Public Works Department) sat at the right hand of Mr Ransom, while a wide variety of complaints was heard. The Ministerial party will leave Dunedin this morning by the first express for the north. Mr Forbes, accompanied by Mrs Forbes and his staff, will make an unbroken journey to Christchurch, en route to Wellington, but the Minister of Public Works wili leave the train at Waikonaiti, where he will be met by representatives of the Borough and the County Councils at 10' a.m. Later he will motor to Goodwood, where a deputation will await him. and before he is entertained at lunch by Mr David Rosa he will be asked to receive a deputation from the Waihemo County Council. The party will join the mid-day express for the north at Palmerston, and will leave Lyttelton in company with Mr Forbes’s party this evening. During the visit to the nearbycounties Mr Ransom will be accompanied by the member for Oamaru (Mr MacPherson).

The Alinister of Internal Affairs (Air P. A. de la Perrelle) arrived in Dunedin last night, and will leave for Wellington this morning.

' WELCOME TO DUNEDIN. The Minister of Public Works (Mr E A. Ransom) was present at the Motor Clubs rooms in Moray place yesterday morning to receive deputations. Mr A. E. Ansell, M.P., who introduced the deputations, welcomed the Minister to Dunedin. His presence indicated that he was going to take an interest in the district, and a few of the bodies in the city and round about wished to place before him some suggestions that, they hoped, he would see his way to agree with (Applause.) Mr Ransom thanked Mr Ansell for his welcome. Together with the Minister of Lands (Mr Forbes), he was paying a visit to the South Island. During the last fortnight they had been making themselves conversant with the problems and difficulties that always faced settlers and organisations, because they recognised that if they were going to accomplish anything in their work they must get a grip at first hand of the position. For himself, he had always recognised that a personal look at a job was very valuable indeed. He recognised that they were up against greater responsibilities to-day than ever before. In the matter of public works, the costs were much higher than they were years ago. The pioneers had built some of the finest bridges he had ever seen, now 60 years old, that it was necessary to-day to replace, and the replacing would cost four times as much as the original bridge. _ Wherever they looked the costs were higher, _ and to provide for those higher costs it was necessary to provide for increased production. They must provide not only for bringing more land into cultivation, but it was necessary for the producer—the primary producer particularly—to provide increased production from the land under occupation. In that connection the Department of Agriculture was doing excellent work, that was invaluable to the producers. He had seen recently the possibilities of Central Otago. Much of the land was productive to-day that was not long ago largely waste land. Ev»n greater success would be achieved once the people were educated properly to control the water supply. He met a man who said he was making a good living on 15 acres. Side by side with him was a man who had taken out his fruit trees, because he could not make them pay. It was necessary, therefore, that people should be educated to make the beat out of the means that lay to their bands. “ Increased production ” should be the slogan of the Government, and once it placed more, people on the land, and so increased primary products, it would be a long way on the road to solve the unemployment problem. He advocated the placing of unemployed in productive employment. Tod much had been spent in placing men in employment on city roads. Good roads could not be maintained unless there were good farms behind them. He would- like to see these men cleaving the country instead and making it productive.

DUNEDIN-PORT CHALMERS ROAD. The first matter brought under the Minister's notice was the present position of the Dunedin-Port Chalmers road. The three parties concerned —Dunedin, West Harbour, and Port Chalmers—were represented. Mr T. Anderson (Mayor of Port Chalmers) said the maintenance of the road under the present arrangement had . not proved a success. The road was little better to-day than it was two years "ago. The traffic over the road was considerable, and word had just been received that nothing was to be done by the Highways Board for three years because the money was to be spent in other directions. The_ road was the main means of communication between the city and Port Chalmers. He thought the time had arrived when something should be done to give motorists a decent road to ..travel over. All the local bodies concerned had agreed that something should be done Ao have the road put in order. He recoggped that it was only a secondary highway, but, as it was the main link between city and port, it should receive more consideration than it had. The Motor Club was also of opinion that something should be done to the Toad.

The Mayor of West Harbour (Mr J. 51. Fraser) and Cr Wilson (Dunedin) also spoke on the matter. Mr F. J. Williams (borough engineer) paid that the borough was not able to finance the reconstruction of the road, but if_ the slain Highways Board would take it over and reconstruct it the borough would then be in a position to maintain it. As an engineer, 'he maintained that the tar-sealing of the road would not be an economic proposition. Tlie number of vehicles did not exceed 200 a day, and, under those conditions, to tar seal the road would be uneconomical. Reconstruction of the road on a high basis was not essential, and was not necessary. The contributions of the bodies concerned in the maintenance of the road for the period ended December 31 last were:—Main Highways Board, £1134; Dunedin City Council, £326; West Harbour Borough Council, £2£4; and the Port Chalmers Borough Council, £Bl. The Minister, in reply, said the position w-as one of some difficulty because the local bodies concerned did not quite agree as to what should he done- with the road. He failed to see how they could get a good road unless it was bitumen sealed. He thought the solution of the problem was more a question of the local bodies concerned coming together and arriving at a mutual understanding as to what should be done. It appeared to him that the best, proposition would -be to face the position as they found it and pee if financial assistance should be given to the West Harbour Borough to enable it to meet its obligations. He would like the matter fully gone into and a report obtained, and an endeavour to come to

sortie mutual understanding in the matter. There was a tendency in some parts to consider that the users of the road should pay the whole of the maintenance of the road, and the taxpayer pay nothing; but he was very "ratified that at nearly every deputation that he had had in not one single ease had the motorists ashed to be relieved from what they had been paying. During the Ministerial tour they had met some roads which were no credit to the counties controlling them, and, considering the contributions that motorists made, they were entitled to greater consideration. The condition of the roads was not due to the negligence of the Highways Board. The board was willing to pay its contribution, providing that local bodies would do the work. In regard to the Port Chalmers road, the Minister said that if he could bo of assistance in any way to their coming to a decision he would be most happy to act. Mr Furkort said that when further funds were placed at the disposal of the Highways Board local bodies were asked what roads that money was to be spent on. It was not recommended that any money should be spent on the Port Chalmers road, and the Highways Board naturally accepted the advice that was tendered it, and nothing was spent on that road. If the committee set up to allocate that money, after due consideration, came to another conclusion, and represented that it now thought the Port Chalmers road ought to come in, ho was sure the Highways Board would be prepared to spend money on the Fort Chalmers road. With regard to finance, he was sure that the Highways Board would deal as reasonably with that road as it had done with the Taieri and Peninsula Counties, and would accept a payment of so much per mile per annum to take the road over and put it in order. GORDON ROAD. MOSGIEL Mr J. P. Walls (Mayor of Mosgiel) said he would like to lay before the Minister the position of Gordon road, which ran through Mosgiel, linking up the main highway and the road to Middlemareh. It was a road that was used by all and sundry, and the council found it difficult to keep it in repair. A hard road would coat £3OOO, and the council would like, if it borrowed £IOOO as its share of the cost, to have the repayments spread over five years, instead of three. The Minister, in reply, said that the request seemed to he purely a matter between the Highways 'Board and the Borough Council, and he would leave Mr Furkert, who was present, to deal with the matter.

Air Furkort said that what Air Walls asked for could- be done. The board had made arrangements with other counties where the time for payment was extended, and he had no doubt that the Highways Board would meet the Alosgiel Borough Council in a small matter like that.

THE MAIN HIGHWAY. WAIKOUAITI TO PUKEKAU. The next question introduced to the notice of the Minister was the condition of the main highway running from Waikoua'iti to Pukerau, Representatives were present from the Dunedin City Council, West Harbour Council, Port Chalmers Council. Otago Expansion League, Dunedin Motor Club, Waikouaiti County Council, Bruce County Council, and Clutha County Council. Mr Ansell, as president of the Dunedin Motor Club, laid the position before the Minister. The main highway through Otago, he said, was not a credit to the district. He was sorry to learn that while travelling in Southland the Minister had his head bumped on the roof of his car. In travelling- over the main road in Otago one sometimes had the same experience, giving the idea that the proper place for the cushions was on the roof and not on the seat. — (Laughter.) The road required to be reconstructed. At present the part between Palmerston and vvaitati was one of the worst roads he had ever seen. He suggested that the Highways Board should tako over the re* construction of the road over the Kilmqg Hill, which was exceptionally bad. He believed that if the Government would agree to make that portion of the road a Government road —reconstruct it and maintain it—the Waikouaiti County Council would face its obligations in regard to other parts of the road. If necessary an arbitrator might be appointed to make inquiry, his decision to be final. About Christmas time the road was in very fair order, but two or three weeks later it was in such a state that it would have been a shame to put a decent car on it. The Palmerston-Wai-tati road was one of the worst he knew lo him it appeared as if the money being paid by motorists was being wasted, together with the money of the Waikouaiti ratepayers. The Otago Motor Club had always been sympathetic with the Waikouaiti County, and was fully aware of the great difficulties existing there. The rateable value t>f the district was particularly small. The Kilmog was an expenmve hill to maintain, but Mr Ansell quoted the construction figures for Govw^ n fn n T 0a j s last . y gar > stating that the North Island received £205,000 and- the South Island £49,000. The Highways Board should exercise liberality and give assistance. It was not a matter of being il na!lce - ' rlle motorists were w iv" . at % money, instead of lying in Wellington should lie on the roads Mr Ansell said that they would all like to see the Highways Board coming to some arrangement with the counties in respect to this matter. If the board were not prepared to go ahead there was some-' tit* 5 a" 1 ' 0 *!? T ,th le legislation. iL „ i , a l S 0 ref YT ed *0 the allocation trAnW P e | trol tax. After a great deal of jT au ° I( ; lad s f gured a promise that the petrol tax would.be allocated on the same basis as the tyre tax, and were going to ask that the present Government siiould place that promise oil the Statute JSOOK.

t J-. Preston and Mr P. Briscoe, of tie Waikouaiti County Council, stated tlie case for their council. The council had made an offer of £975 a year for 15 years the council to maintain the road from Waikouaiti to Palmerston in Travel it was also pointed out that some land ' n the district was not rated, such as the keacliff Mental Hospital and other institutions.

Mr S. B. Macdonald, president of the Utago Expansion League, supported what the previous speakers had said. He contended that if the Highways Board the Waikouaiti County Council, and the Bruce County Council got together the differences that existed between those bodies could bo settled in 24 hours. He also considered that they would never get satisfaction until there was a South Island Highways Board. It was impossible to expect North Island people to have the same grasp of problems that faced South Island people as people in the South Island would have. Another matter Mr Macdonald brought up was the fact that the Highways Board seemed to be set on the idea of having bitumen roads. The bitumen they were using in New Zealand was obtained from America, and he would like to suggest that the bitumen should be obtained from Trinidad, which was a British possession. Trinidad bitu-men-made roads were second to none. On the other hand, if bitumen was not a hard-and-fast rule with the board, he would suggest that concrete be given very full consideration, for the reason that (lie cement was made in the Dominion and the whole of the produce used for the surfacing of the roads would come from within the Dominion. That would provide a good deal of employment, and ho was of opinion that concrete roads were far better than bitumen roads, which quickly became wavy. With regard to the Clutha bridge, he asked that the Highways Board should find a subsidy of £4 and the Consolidated Fund £l.

slr L. W. Potter, on behalf of the Bruce County Council, spoke on matters particularly affecting his county. The Minister, in reply, said that in travelling over the roads of Otago he bad noticed they were not so good as the roads in other parts he had visited. In regard to Waikouaiti County it seemed to him its -rating was light—about lid in the £. In the county in which he lived in the North Island the rating was sd, and it was seldom they did any gravelling without striking a special rate, Hig own position was that he had no metal road within 10 miles of his farm. It would be recognised, therefore, that he spoke with some knowledge of rating problems. It had been suggested that there should he an amendment to the law to make provision to bring county councils up to scratch when they were not prepared to accept their responsibilities and liabilities. That was a very simple matter to suggest, but very bard to put into operation. The Highways Board had the power to use the big stick if it were considered necessary. but it was very reluctant to do so. It . was better that the board uid the councils should work in harmony The suggestion to set up a, tribunal to arbitrate on matters in dispute between the councils and the board appealed to him.

and lie would give it full consideration with the possibility .of setting up inch a board. Regarding what he said in Christchurch about opposing separate highway boards for the North and South Islands, that was purely his own personal viewpoint He was opposed to it because he thought that such a move would tend to set one island against the other. When the matter was considered by Cabinet the deputation's arguments would bo put before it. He fully recognised that the problems in the North and South Islands were entirely different, and, naturally, those in the south felt that they were not properly represented on the hoard, but the three Government representatives on the board wove South Island men. He only mentioned that because it had been said in Christchurch that members of the board were not fully conversant with the South Island.

The question of the allocation of the petrol tax was purely a policy question, and he was not prepared to make any statement in regard to it. The surplus fund had been referred to, and bo was under the impression that some of the local bodies considered that as long as they had that surplus local bodies should not have to increase their rales for road purposes. There was also a feeling that the Highways Board should, do the work of constructing the roads and receive a subsidy from the local bodies instead of the local bodies doing the work and receiving a subsidy from the Highways Board. That was a question that would have to be considered, and if it were found that one system was better than another, then the latter system could be adopted. It mattered little whether one body or the other made the road so long as the allocation and the-contribution was fair.

Air Ransom said that an application had been made to the chairman of the Highways Board in connection with the provision of graders by the board for the use of boroughs. The chairman had suggested that graders should be hired from adjoining counties. The impression he had gained was that the counties did not have graders. He thought that they should place a pretty good order for graders, which would do economical and profitable work. Reference had been made to the purchase of British bitumen, and he was quite in sympathy with the suggestion. On the construction of concrete roads, the cost would have to be taken into consideration, and a thorough investigation would be made in connection with this matter. With reference to the Chitha bridge. Air Ransom said that he would submit this matter to his colleagues in Cabinet to see if special consideration could he given. Air Furkert also replied to a number of points raised by the members of the deputation. He said that the Waikouaiti County had received exceptionally favourable treatment, almost the best treatment of any in the South Island. As far as the offer of £975 was concerned, it would be a simple matter to accept it. But the difficulty was to treat everyone fairly. The board had met the county repeatedly, but its approaches had not been received in the spirit in which they had been made. The board was unable to get any satisfaction out of the county. With reference to the establishment of a tribunal, this was already on the Statute Book. The South Island funds, continued Air Furkert, were in the vicinity of £325,000. They could order the Waikouaiti work to be undertaken to-morrow, but if this were done it would constitute a grave injustice to the other county councils, which were doing a fair thing. Waikouaiti was the lowest rated county in the district. In conclusion, Mr Furkert stated that the Highways Board had divided the petrol tax as it had the others. With regard to the £300,000 transferred from the revenue fund to the construction fund, the board agreed to the transfer at the time it was made, laying down the condition that it would get the money back again. The money could be obtained at any time it was wanted.

Mr Ransom and Mr Furkert were heartily thanked for their attendance and for the hearing they had accorded the various speakers.

DUNEDIN CARRIERS’ GRIEVANCES. TAXATION AND ROADS. A deputation representing the Dunedin Carriers’ Association waited on the Minister of Public Works in the evening, and made emphatic protests against the manner in which road construction and maintenance were being carried out in Otago, and also against the unfair taxation which was demanded of lorry owners and carriers. Mr M. Stevenson was the spokesman, and in dealing’with the road works going on in Otago, said that the Government was not getting its money’s worth, and the methods employed were not the best. Too many deviations were being carried out, when the money could be used to far better purpose on the surface of some of the roads, which were an absolute disgrace to the province, to the Highways Board, and to the Government. Speaking about the taxation the trade was asked to carry, Mr Stevenson said that carriers in New Zealand were the heaviest taxed in the world. They were asked to pay both petrol and tyre tax, and then on top of that they had to pay their heavy traffic license fees. And in return for all this they got nothing—absolutely nothing. The roads were worse to-day than .they were 10 years ago. Th heavy traffic fees, he contended, were most unjust, and the time had come when the Government should revise the whole system. They had a petrol tax. If it were not enough, the carriers were quite prepared to pay more, but the heavy traffic' fees should be cut out altogether. The tyro tax, too, was also unfair. The money derived from these sources was not being used for the purposes for which it was intended. The city of Dunedin, fur instance, was using its money for the saving of the rates, and not for tt improvement of the roads which were used by those who were paying the fees. To prove this, he quoted such roads in the city as Wilkie road and the Main S( nth road at Cavcrsham. They were disgraceful, and there were many more as bad. The users and those who were paying for the use of the road were deserving of more consideration, and it was up to the Government to step in and see that they got it. Mr Stevenson then went on to deal with the manner in which the Green Island road, which had been fixed up at the cost of many thousands of pounds, was being allowed to go to ruin. No one seemed to take any interest in its upkeep. What, he asked, was the Highways Board going to do about this matter? Here they had two local bodies side by side. On the one hand the Taieri County Council did its work well, and looked after its roads. The Green Island Council did nothing. He himself had given that body a sum of money for the improvement of a certain road, and it had taken it four months to spend it. The speaker also protested against the i .noring of local carriers in the matter of contracts for public works. He considered that those with teams and equipment should be given an opportunity to do some of the work. Ail these matters that he had .brought up, he said, were of the utmost importance, and the carriers were prepared to fight every inch of the way to get the money they were paying spent in the best possible manner. They were not going to let up, and every carrier from Auckland to Bluff, was in the struggle. , Mr Ransom said that he recognised that the question of motor traffic and taxation was becoming a very serious problem, but bo»lioped that the proposed Ministry of Transport would be able to improve the position. A conference would be held in Wellington shortly, at which the whole subject would be discussed. He agreed with ..Mr Stevenson that those in the business should get a share of the work that was offering, and said he would have that looked into.

Mr Furkert, who spoke at the request of the Minister, said he could not see that the country was not getting value for its money in its road works, particularly in view of the' fact that the men engaged on the works were on piecework, and any suggestion that money intended for highways was being used for side roads was incorrect, as the Audit Department would not allow it even if the Public Works Department desired to do it.

OTAGO EXPANSION LEAGUE. A deputation from the Otago Expansion Twiifiue met, Mr E. A. Ransom in the slotor Club room, being introducer! by Air A. E. Ansell, 51. P. slr S. B, Macdonald, president of th.e league, extended a welcome to the Minister, and congratulated him on his activity, while making this tour to ascertain for himself at first hand the needs of the various provinces.

CENTRAL OTAGO MATTERS. The first point presented Mas the desire of the people of Otago to learn, at the earliest possible moment, the decision of flic new Government regarding the report of the Irrigation Commission. We all recognise, lie said, that the future development of Central Otago is bound up with the irrigation problem, and it was hoped that the Minister, after bis personal visit. Mould be able very shortly to declare what action would be taken in carrying out the recommendations made. .The problem of transport in the Upper Clntba Valley Mas next mentioned Air Macdonald stating that for many years this has boon pressed upon the attention of the Government. Some time ago a promise Mas made by Mr Coates that surveys and estimates would be prepared of the cost of railway and road connection, and thereafter the department would decide which M-as the more desirable but no such decision has yet been announced. The Minister had met various deputations during his recent visit, asking for raihvny extensions, and Mas conversant M’itli the facts and figures, so there v.’as no'need to repeat them : but he earnestly urged the Minister to give an early reply to the prayer of the settlers’ petition in the interests of greater production :uud closer settlement in Otago. DUNEDIN POST OFFICE. The Dunedin Post Office Mas not progressing as rapidly as the citizens desired. They had waited many iveary years for it, and now that tile old office had been demolished, and the site cleared, greater expedition Mas urged in the rebuilding. The soil excavated M-as being utilised for a Mork of municipal improvement, but this Mas only coming out slowly, and if more pressure M-ere exerted it would assist the city officials in meeting the demand of employment. Also the people of Dunedin hoped that the Mork of construction M-ould be M-ell in hand before the winter began, as the erection of such a building would utilise much labour, and be a boon in that direction. PORT CHALMERS RAILWAY. The duplication of the Port railway had already been pressed upon the attention of Mr Taverner, and the interest of the visiting Minister was also invoked; as an active prosecution of this work -would be helpful in relieving unemployment. TOURIST RESORTS. Air W. B. Steel, secretary of the league, requested the good offices of the Minister in again granting the aid of his department to the project of renovating and extending the tourist tracks amongst the mountains; previously secured by the services of student parties during the long vacation. This work had proved most beneficial during past years, and a further extension of it M-ould be most advantageous. The subject would be brought under the notice of the Prime Minister at the earliest opportunity, so that the tracks M-hen formed might be taken over and M-orkcd by the Tourist Department. OPOSSUMS. Air K. S. Black submitted to the Alinistcr a proposal for the introduction into the southern and western forests of Otago and Southland a higher grade species of fur-bea.ring opossum, preferably the blue, and black strains. There were, said Mr Black, over 8.000,000 acres of bush which the Forestry Department M-ould gladly see stocked with such valuable animals, the trapping of which and the preparing of the skins* M-ould give most remunerative employment during the winter months M-hen ordinary work M-as scarce. This would add another great item of export to our trade, which could easily run into millions of pounds annually. He also asked that the Alinister might cause inquiries to be made regarding the possibility of encouraging fur farming for silver foxes and musk rats. New Zealand could- compete with any country in the production of fur, and cited the fact that frozen rabbits had been exported to Canada for the purpose of feeding foxes on fur farms. Here was another prospective method of utilising “ bunny ” to advantage. MINISTERS’ REPLIES.

In replying, Mr Ransom said that he was always pleased to meet members of progress leagues, because these associations specialised upon local needs and improvements, and their researches and investigations were always helpful to a minister who could not overtake everything himself. The subjects of irrigation, and transport facilities had been well brought before him during his recent trip, and they would receive immediate and most earnest attention. As both were matters of policy the decision of Cabinet was .essential, but the deputation could be assured that no undue delay would ' take place. The matter of the Port Chalmers railway was one on- which he .would confer with his colleague, the Minister of Railways, whose local knowledge would be most serviceable. He agreed with the deputation that when once these works had been undertaken, it was most essential and economical that they should be pushed through. The Dunedin Post Office would be expedited. He had already arranged regarding the excavations, and would ascertain the exact position about the other matters on his return to Wellington. His department was charged with many duties and would endeavour to get a move on with this important work; and the same applied to the question of tourist tracks, which would be the subject of inquiry, and he felt sure that something along the lines suggested by Mr Steel could be undertaken.

Mr Ansel 1 thanked the Minister for his courtesy in receiving the deputation.

CHEESE-MAKING REGULATIONS.

PREJUDICIAL TO SOUTH ISLAND. Representatives of local and rural dairy factory companies found grounds for complaint in the recently-gazetted regulations in respect to the cheese-making industry, and their grievances were aired before Mr Forbes at the Grand Hotel in the afternoon. The deputation was introduced by Mr A. E. Ansoll (member for Chalmers), who stated that one, at least, of the companies seriously affected was in his electorate. As a result of the deputation’s statement of the case, the regulations will be held in abeyance till June. Mr F. Waite, M.P., was the chief spokesman for the deputation, and at the outset explained to the Minister that the South Island Dairy Association had no opportunity of discussing the new regulations or of placing their views before the Government or the Department of Agriculture, and since it was generally recognised in the industry that the regulations were likely to prove prejudicial to the dairying industry in the South Island, they were now making a complaint against their enforcement. The position was as far as they could make out, that partial skimming of milk was considered sufficient grounds for compelling a factory to register its product as standardised cheese, regardless of the manner in which it was made. In the north there were factories which skimmed milk and made butter from the cream, using the residue in the manufacture of cheese, but in the South Island only fullcrcam cheese was made, and they wanted the right to brand it and sell it us such, a privilerre that was taken from them by the provisions of the new regulations. They were -at present faced with the prospect of branding full-cream cheese as standardised cheese and selling it as such. Both Mr Forbes and Dr Reakes interjected at this point to give that statement an emphatic denial. That, they contended, was not the intention of the regulations at ail.

Mr Waite, however, was positive “on the point, and proceeded to give an example of a company that was separating only a very small percentage of its daily intake, and was, as a resu't, compelled to brand its product ns standardised cheese. And this was enforced despite the fact that skimmed milk did not go into the cheese vat, but was put into the whey tank. The Mosgicl Dairy Factory Company, said Mr Waite, separated a part of its intake to supply cream to an icecream company in town, and although only whole-milk cheese was made, the factory was compelled to register its cheese as a standardised article. The company bad a contract with the icecream people, so that the directors were faced with the unenviable alternative of either repudiating the contract or branding their cheese as standardised. Stirling operated on a scarcely less unsatisfactory principle in respect to limited separating of milk in the winter mouths. The difficulty with which these companies and others were faced was obvious. Standardised cheese sold at a lower price than the full-cream article, so that the manufacturers of the latter were compelled to accept the lower price for their produce because of the brand it bone. Then again there was the

question of the skim milk starter. It was considered sufficient to make a standard brand necessary. He knew the position was a difficult one, but he felt that if anyone were to be penalised it should not be the people who were trying to keep up the standard of the Dominion product by manufacturing only full cream cheese. They were quite convinced that the regulations _were prejudicial to the interests of the industry in the South Island, and what they wanted the Minister to do was to hold them in abeyance until after the annual conference of the South Island Dairy Association in June, so that they could be discussed by those who were most vitally interested, and wiio had had no opportunity as yet to go into the matter. The Minister asked Dr Reakes to explain the idea at the back of the drafting of the regulations. Dr Reakes said that the Department of Agriculture uad thought that it was meeting the wishes of the entire industry throughout New Zealand in bringing in these regulations. As far as he could see. the main difficulty to be dealt with Mas that of the skimmed milk starter. He felt sure that the matter of registration of whole milk cheese, as standardised, could be got ovci quite easily, and even in regard to tlic starter he thought that, its adjustment M-ould present no real difficulty, provided, of course, that the minimum quantity re'l'dred for starting was all that was used ■the department was anxious to do all it could to assist the industry in this country, but at the same time it could not aflord to neglect the markets at the other side of the world. As they knew there was m evidence at the present time a definite change in regard to the manufacture of cheese, the tendency being to get away from the making of full cream cheese and concentrate on the manufacture of the standardised article, and as a result they had to be very careful in the Dominion about the cheese that was sent away. How were the buyers on the Homo markets to know what cheese they were getting? It was with the idea of giving them confidence in the New Zealand article that the regulations had been drawn up. The Government certificate of grading was never questioned, and they cvere anxious that nothing should be done to give the English buyer a reason for doubting that certificate. The regulations might seem unfair in some respects, but he felt sure that M-hen they came to be put into operation they would work out all right.

Air \\ aite: But liom- do you get over the position of the factory making full cieam cheese being compelled to brand it standardised?

Dr Reakes said that that could be got over. It M-as not the intention of the regulations that the bona fide maker of hole milk cheese should be cumoalled to brand his product as anything but the quality it M-as.

Air W. APLean; But that is being demanded of the Alosgiel Dairy Factory Company at present by the Director of the Dairy Division (Air Singleton). Dr-Reakes said he M-ould go into that aspect of the matter with Air Singleton and see what the position was. He would let them now at onc-c what was likely to be done.

The Minister said that as far as he was concerned the position was that when tu regulations were brought to him for his signature he understood that the entire industry was in agreement with them, tie had been surprised to hear in Invercargill that the South Island Dairy Association had had no opportunity of going into the question before the regulations were gazetted. There had been a meeting at which they were agreed to. so surely the representative of the association coukh have said that as they •anected the South Island vitally they should be held up until they could be discussed. There was no desire at all on the part of the Government or the department to force these regulations on the people of the South Island. In the first place, the initiative in the whole matter had come from he industry, and not from tig Government. It was a great pity that the position of the South Island had not been made known before. The principle on which they were working was that full cream should be branded as such, and that the standardised article should bear its own mark. The difference between the two would then be quite clear on the Home markets. The manufacture of standardised cheese was quite voluntary, and no attempt was being made to compel factories to abandon the full cream cheese. He thought that the difficulties they were u] against could be adjusted easilv enough. 'They could carry on till the end of the season, and then when the conference was held the whole question could be. threshed out, and thev could decide what should be done in the way of conserving the good name of the Dominion’s product.' He concluded by assuring the deputation tkat the regulations would not be enforced during the ensuing months until after the conference of the association in June. In the meantime he would see that the matter was brought under the notice of the Director of the Dairy Division of the Department of Agriculture.

BRIGHTON DOMAIN BOARD. . INTERPRETATION OF ACT. Mr M. Stevenson (chairman) and Mr A. R. Allen (secretary), representing the Brighton Domain Board, approached the Minister of Lands in regard .to the interpretation of clause, 63 in the Public Reserves Domains and National Parks Act of 1928, which gave domain boards the power to apportion what they considered was a reasonable amount that should be paid by local bodies in the vicinity for the upkeep and improvement of a domain. The deputation explained that they had no rating powers, and depended for their revenue on donations and parking fees charged to motorists. The local bodies could not be induced to give anything to help the hoard, although the Taieri County Counci’- had last year given the sum of £5. Mr J. B.Thompson (Under-secretary of. Lands) said that the Act was quite clear on the point of the apportionment of charges. The domain could make its apportionment, and then the Lands Department would consider whether it were fair and reasonable. The local body concerned would have to lodge any complaint against the apportionment within two months of the notice the board was required to give. Then after that period if the local body did not pay the amount the department would issue an order compelling it to do so. The idea of the clause was to provide for the upkeep of domains without putting the whole burden on a small community. It did not become imeretive until April. Mr Forbes said that his department would go into the matter at once and see what could be done In the meantime 1 could assure ■ them that the commissioner in Dunedin would he oulv too glad to give them all the assistance they needed.