WIDE SCOPE OF SERVICE

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1934, Page 9

WIDE SCOPE OF SERVICE

AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT SOLVING FARMING TROUBLES. ADDRESS BY MR. FERRIDAY. The Agricultural Department and -its many ramifications was the subject of' an address delivered by'Mr. J.’M. Ferriday, a Department 'of'Agriculture inspector of live stock, at a meeting of the Lep-. perton branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union last night.' Mr.- H. E. Blyde presided. Mr. Blyde extended a welcome to Mr. Ferriday. Mr. F. W. Sutton had won the admiration of all and Mr. Ferriday came to the district with the reputation of being of the same type, a man with a sound knowledge who placed himself qi the beck and call of farmers-who genuinely required assistance. ,• Mr. Ferriday said the .officers of the department desired to assist the. farmers. The department was ably represented by Mr. Sutton for about 20 years; Farmers had come to know him personally and it was his hope, said ?Mr. Ferriday, as the years went by to know all present personally. He hoped to be able to help them with their farming troubles.

A great many people did not really realise what the department was. It was that part of the Government service that came, more or less, in direct contact with the farmer or primary producer.- It had. many branches and divisions and its activities covered a wide range. Farmers in Taranaki were familiar with the live stock and fields divisions but. in addition there were the research, ' dairy, chemistry, horticultural,- poultry and apiary divisions of the department. Working day and night under pressure the research division was attempting to solve the problems that were being daily confronted with by the live stock division. When an inspector visited ?. reported case of disease certain symptoms led him to certain conclusions and he acted accordingly, but on the other hand if. he was unable to: reach : a satisfactory conclusion he could send a specimen to the research division laboratory at Wailaceville. There a staff of highly trained veterinary officers endeavoured to determine the trouble, the reason, its origin and if possible a remedy. In addition efforts were made to evolve serums to counteract disease. At present the division was attempting to perfect a serum to overcome Johns’ disease. It was hoped in the very near future to obtain 100 per cent, results from this experiment. ... WORK IN LABORATORIES. There was another laboratory at Hamilton, a sub-branch of the main laboratory at. Wallaceville. There the field work was gradually being increased and during the past two years efforts had been made to solve the mystery of mammitis. Hundreds of samples were being utilised in an endeavour to find a way to control the disease. At present nothing very definite was known. Another research station established at Palmerston North worked in connection with the certifying of seeds. There again highly qualified officers attempted to secure a solution to many troubles that affected plants. If an inspector was given a plant he did not know it was forwarded to Palmerston North' for identication. The work of the fields division was well known to Taranaki farmers. Mr. J. M. Smith’s work did not require'enumerating. The various divisions did not interfere with one another,' said Mr. Ferriday. Working quietly and generally out of sight of the public eye was the dairy division, said Mr. Ferriday. The standard of butter and cheese, had been raised so as to make it. more suitable, for British and foreign markets, principally as a result of the work of-the dairy division. This division even .wont to the extent of testing, glassware at the various- factories to determine the accuracy of that used. At Moturqa there was athighly equipped laboratory where butter and cheese for export was subjected to searching tests. The horticultural, division investigated grubs, insect pests and such .pests that caused orchardists- considerable worry, while the poultry division dealt exclusively with poultry matters. Periodical inspections of large hen runs were arranged and advice given. An important industry was that of producing honey, said Mr. Ferriday, and the apiary division was freely being availed of by honey producers and much good work was being done. The chemistry division was devoted to analysing soils and waters and numerous similar substances.

Taranaki, owing to its bracing climate, undulating country ■ and many shelter belts, did not suffer from stock disease as much as other parts of the North Island. The live stock division had a rather difficult duty to perform. It had certain Acts to administer and inspectorial duties that not only covered advice to farmers but also required inspectors to see that the law was adininistrated.' It was like coming with a palm in one hand and a sword in the other; The stock division was respons’ble for the enforcement of the Stock Act, Slaughter' Act, Noxious Weeds Act, Rabbit Nuisance Act, Shearers Accommodation Act and a part of the'Dairy industry Act. Mr.' Ferriday enumerated the parts of the various Acts that affected Taranaki.

The department carried out much work that was not generally known. When the Government voted.sums to the department it was often asked where the money was going. The fact that three years ago £33,000 was paid out as compensation for condemned stock spoke for itself. Other subsidies cost the country considerable amounts, although a reduction in subsidies had reduced the amount by £200,000 this year. Mr. Ferriday answered many questions pertaining to disease and farming interests. . Mr. H. E. Blyde expressed appreciation.