THE APIARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3864, 3 April 1928, Page 11

THE APIARY.

By

J. A.

THE NATIONAL BEEKEEPERS’ ASSOCIATION. I have received from Mr Ecroyd, of Christchurch, a copy of a circular impressing on beekeepers the necessity of more fully supporting the National Beekeepers’ Association. Mr Ecroyd is secretary, and is urging beekeepers to keep themselves financial on the books of their local branch association in order in that way to support the parent association. I have been so situated for some years past that I have not been i n M cn( l th® annual gatherings of the National,” and have to some extent lost touch with that organisation. That is my misfortune, and I regret it very much, and am not without hope that m the coming years I may be able again to take a part in those meetings—not an actn e part, but rather one where I maymeet with the beekeepers and enjoy with them the social gathering. Bound together by a common interest, beekeepers are very sociable, and a week spent in their company is always a profitable one. Looking back over the earlier years of associations in beekeeping, one cannot heln being struck by the value that such have proved to be. The first association in the Dominion was that of Southland. The opening meeting was held at Wyndham, and I had the honour of presiding. Mr Robert Gibb (of Menzies Ferry, at present a member of the Honey Control Board, and a director of the Honey Producers’ Association), Mr Isaac Hopkins (popularly known as “the father of beekeeping in New Zealand”), and Mr Lenz (a prominent beekeeper in the Wairarapa) were present at the meeting. That association still continues, and takes up its duties now as a branch of the “National.” It has held its field day meetings almost continuously ever since it was inaugurated, and a perusal of the minutes of its meetings would reveal the fact that an astonishing amount of real pioneering work has been done. Jhe “ National ” began its existence in Wellington, and was very strongly supported from Christchurch and Auckland, with delegates also from Taranaki and Southland. To give even a very short summary of the work accomplished would exceed the limits of this column. It is, however, a fair statement to say that to this association we owe our Apiaries Act, along with that branch of the Horticultural Department which administers it. I am well aware of the work of the late Mr Isaac Hopkins in this connection, but individue’ effort until it had the weight of associated beedom behind it could not accomplish all that was necessary. In this attempt I had a hand in getting foul-brood legislation, and know how easily the best individual efforts can be set aside. In the year 1901 I was asked to read a paper on “ Beekeeping in Relation to Fruit Growing ” at a Dominion conference of fruitgrowers in Dunedin. Auckland representatives at that conference were very noisy in an attempt to prevent dealing with codlin moth by legislation. However, the feeling of the conference was in favour of the legislation, and, taking that as a lead, I endeavoured to show the need for similar legislation to protect the beekeeper from foul-brood. Professor Hilgendorf, of Lincoln College, supported me, and the motion -was passed; but that was the end of. it until be.ekeepers, in association, got behind ft. Such is the great value of the “ National.” It is the focusing of the voice of the b'.ekeepers from one end of the Dominion to the other, and that is what tells. Then it is to the “ National ” that we owe our Honey Producers’ Association, with its further development, the Honey Control Board. There is no other branch of the primary producers’ work that today is so well, controlled bj’ the producers themselves as is that of honey, and it is due entirely to that, with our grading and packing systems, that we hold the proud position of first place in the English markets—first with the substantial premium of from from 15s to 20s per cwt.

The “National” is still as important to the. beekeeper as ever. Its meeting room is the only place where his voice can be heard. ‘ The technical side of his work can be helped by the departmental officers, and the realisation side by his selling agencies, but these will need just what the “ National,” and only the “National,” can give—that line of direction that can come only from an intelligent association of the rank and file of beekeepers. My plea then is: Let us keep the “National” strong. Let the questions that are born in our branch meetings go up by remit to the Dominion conference, and let us strive to make the “National” a faithful recorder of the wishes of the beekeepers of the Dominion.