AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH.

Otago Witness, Issue 3867, 24 April 1928, Page 12

AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH.

RETURN OF DR C. J. REAKES.

WELLINGTON. April 17. That New Zealand is working on the right lines in regard to scientific agricultural research is the opinion of Dr C J Reakes (Director-General of Agriculture) who returned to-day by the Manuka after a world tour, in the course of which he attended-the Imperial Agricultural Research Conference in London, attended by many eminent men, and made investigations on the Continent into diseases affecting dairy cattle. The results of the inquiries made by Dr Reakes will be embodied in a report to the Government.

In an interview Dr Reakes . said that the Imperial Agricultural Research Conference, held in London last October, wag very valuable, and was attended by men right in the forefront of agricultural and scientific research from all parts of the Empire. The discussions were very valuable, and he was sure that the result of the conference .would be a much better and more complete co-ordination of research throughout the Empire. New Zealand, for instance, would be in association with research workers in all other Empire countries, and it would therefore be possible to avoid unnecessary duplication of work here. “ Another very valuable feature of the conference,” said Dr Reakes, “ was the personal contact effected with the eminent agricultural research workers of the Empire. I was very pleased to see that the research work being, done in connection with agriculture in New Zealand was appreciated generally.”’ .

After the conference had concluded Dr Reakes visited a number of research stations in England and Scotland, and he afterwards crossed to the Continent to make special investigations in Denmark, , Belgium, France, Germany, and Holland regarding diseases of dairy cows and the methods of dealing with them. He also made inquiries into the Continental methods of agricultural instruction. These matters, ’ said Dr Reakes, would be dealt with in his report to the Government.

While in London Dr Reakes several times visited Smithfield and Tooley sir<>*A.. as he was interested in a general wa> in the meat and butter situations. He was in close personal touch with Mr Forsyth, of the Meat Board, and Mr Davies, of the Dairy Board. So far as the marketing of New Zealand dairy produce was concerned. Dr Reakes said khat so far as he could see things werewording quite smoothly, and a similar remark applied to meat. His observashowed that New Zealand produce nus held in high esteem in London. --

Dr Reakes was disinclined to discuss farming at Home, beyond saying that the British farmer had experienced a very bad time, and his condition had not been benefited by a shockingly wet season. Either during his stay in Australia or on his return journey Dr Reakes had interviews with several of the Commonwealth’s agricultural and scientific research workers, and he also met Sir Arnold Theiler, a famous veterinarian, who was until lately head of the veterinary department in South Africa, and Dr Off, director of the Rowett Institute. From these two gentlemen he gathered much interesting information.