MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 June 1921, Page 4

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE.

VISIT TO STRATFORD PROVINCIAL REQUIREMENTS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Stratford, June 9. The Hon. W. Nosworthy, Minister for Agriculture, arrived in Stratford from New Plymouth this morning. . At the Borough Council chambers during the morning he received deputatiojis representing the Stratford Chamber of Commerce and the Jersey Breeders’ Association. Th Mayor, Mr. J. W. McMillan, extended a hearty welcome to Mr. Nosworthy on the occasion of his first official visit to Stratford. Mr. R. Masters, M.P., in introducing the deputations, also welcomed Mr. Nosworthy. TANGARAKAU RESERVES. On behalf of the Chamber bf Commerce, Mr. J. B. Richards said the Chamber wished ta bring before the Government the desirability of having considerable areas in the Tangarakau Gorge district set aside as a scenic reserve. He said that this part of the main road was undoubtedly the most beautiful scenic spot on the road to Auckland. The land on one side of the road for a distance of 12 miles was already a forest reserve, but it was desired that this should be made a scenic reserve, together with large areas on the opposite side of the road, which were of no value for settlement, yet the}’ would of inestimable value in years to come as a tourist resort. Mr. Nosworthy said he would be pleased to place the matter before Sir Francis Bell and the Hon. D. H. Guthrie (Minister in charge of scenic reserves) and communicate their decision to Mr. Richards. EQUITABLE BUTTERFAT TEST. Speaking for a deputation from the Friesian Breeders’ Association, Mr. Marchant said it was the desire of the association to have the dairy industry placed on a more equitable basis as regards the methods of testing for solids or butterfat in milk supplied to the dairy factories. In the present method of testing only for butterfat the farmers with high-testing herds reaped the benefit at the expense of those with lowtesting herds. It had been contended, said Mr. Marchant, that there was as yet no reliable method of testing for solids, but they had it on the authority of the general manager of Joseph Nathan and Co., Ltd., that at that firm’s Palmerston North laboratory a. reliable method was in operation. What the association desired, and he also spoke for the Shorthorn and Ayrshire Breeders’ Associations, was that th*b Government should set up a laboratory in Taranaki or elsewhere where scientific experiments could be carried out, especially in relation to the equitable testing of milk. Mr. Nosworthy Said that he could give no definite answer at the moment, but the deputation could be assured that on his return to Wellington their requests would receive every consideration.