AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES' CONFERENCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2416, 28 June 1900, Page 15

AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES' CONFERENCE.

CHAT WITH THE SECPvETART.

(Fsom Oub Own Cokkespondent.)

WELLINGTON, June 25.

The New Zealand Agricultural Conference opens its annual session to-morrow- morning in the Library of the Museum. I paid a visit to the room this afternoon, and found the energetic secretary (Mr M. Murphy, F.L.S.) working with the energy of a man of half his years arranging tables and chairs, hanging flags, and attending to the hundred, and one odds and ends that havelo be fixed up before the arrival of the delegates. Mr Murphy was good enough to give me an outline of the business that is this year to engage the attention of the conference. The. chair will be taken by Mr W. Recce, who will report on the business of last conference, 'after which a chairman for the present conference will be elected. Papers will be contributed by Mr Thos. Brydone, of Dunedin, on lime in agriculture; by G. Gray, F.C.S., of Canterbury Agricultural College, on the composition and feeding value of root crops; by Mr W. Riddell, of Taieri, Otago, on the care of milk, etc. ; and by an Auckland member on the breeding of horses for cavalry purposes. In accordance with the practice of previous conferences, the following gentlemen, experts in rural affairs, have been invited to attend the conference, and will be entitled to take part in all the proceedings: — Sir John Hall, K.C.M.G., Messrs Thomas Mackenzie, P. Pattullo, J. G. Wilson, W. G. Fester, 11. Overtoil, H V. Fulton, D. Peat, J. Bain (Canterbury Agricultural College), G. Cray (Canterbury- Agricultural Colleg-e), J. H. Ooleman, T. W. Adams, J. D. Ritchie (secretary for Agriculture), T. W. Kirk, X'.L.S. (Government Biologist), J. A. Gilruth (Government Veterinary Surgeon), and J. A. Kinsella (dairy commissioner).

The- matters proposed for discussion cover a very wide Held. Under the heading of railways, there are 11 proposals. The" Nelson society wants the Government to give free passes to judges at shows. It is proposed by Canterbury that special trains be run in con-nection-.with shows to expedite the transport of stock and minimise- the- number of shuntings. Proposed by Masterton, Ashburton, Canterbury, and "VYairarapa, find East Coast

— "(1) That the y«arly* recurrence of insufficiency of grain trucks is a "serious loss and inconvenience to farmers, avid, urgently demands the attention of Parliament ; , ,(2) that increased facilities be given for. obtaining trucks and sheets for the conveyance and covering of produce, particularly straw, chaff, grain, timber, etc. ; (3) that i,he Government be approached with a view ,to a better supply of sheep trucks." Proposed- by Ashburton —

"That the Railway department be memorealised owing Co the unfairness of the present system of charging full rates for the return of stock exhibited at agricultural shows when part of the exhibits have been disposed of, and urges that the concession should, be further extended by the department charging half rates only either way on the stock actually conveyed." Several of the societies want something done in the direction of establishing a market for New Zealand produce in South Africa, and urge the-appointment of a resident agent. The Manawatu Society will enter a protest against the increased freights charged for live stock tc South America, and also urge consideration of freights and insurance on frozen meat and other produoe. Several societies are moving in the direction of reduction in ihe size of grain sacks, and for an improved and uniform system in connection with the selling of grain. The necessity of an act dealing with the Californian thistle as a noxious weed will be emphasised. A variety of matters in regard to live stock will be dealt with. Ashburton hopes for a recommendation to the Educational department to introduce into the Slate schools of the colony a text book on elementary agricultural science. Canterbury will propose —

" That it is desirable that the telephone system, should be extended to the country districts in a greater degree than is at present the case " ; also, " That the conference take into consideration the annoyance caused to farmers and the injury to their stock by irresponsible persons shooting over their lands on. Sundays— a practice which js greatly on

the increase, — and that Parliament be urged to pass an act putting a stop to the pernicious practice." i One of the most important matters for discussion will be the following, proposed by Ashburton — " That the time has arrived for the holding of an agricultural and pastoral show in New Zealand on the lines .of the 'Royal Show in England, and that for this purpose the following scheme is siibmitted. (a) That the Government be asked to make an annual grant of £1000 to supplement the prize fund of such show; (b) that the show be held alternately in the North and South Islands, priority to be decided by ballot ; (c) that, only associations whose prize fund aggregates, £400 or over annually shall be eligible to ballot for such show ; (d) that any agricultural and pastoral association having once had the show in its district, shall be precluded from again balloting until all others eligible shall have had their turn."