COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17192, 8 November 1923, Page 4

COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURE.

♦ MEETING OF EXECUTIVE. A meeting of the executive of the New Zealand Council of Agriculture was held in the Canterbury A-. and P. Society’s rooms in W orcester Street. Mr William Perry, Masterton, occupied the chair. A considerable amount of correspondence from the affiliated associations was dealt with. Replies to the. i*csolutions passed by the Annual Conference in Wellington were considered. RAILYWAY MATTERS. The secretary (Mr E. C. Jack) reported that, in an interview, the Gen era! Manager of Railways had agreed to consider favourably an application

by any society on the question of day excursions to shows in lieu of granting excursion fares up to fifty miles as required by the resolution. The latter, lie considered, could not be acceded to by the Department. He had also expressed his full sympathy with ■ tiie idea of gymkhanas and sports meetings to assist A. and P- Societies, and would be pleased to consider favourably applications from associations for /day excursion trains on the same basis as he proopsed to consider day excursions to shows. This also applied to horses, and men in charge, travelling to such meetings. AGRICULTURAL FJ>UCATION. The Board of Agriculture reported that the question of training farmers had been fully considered and representations made to the Minister of Agriculture, who had replied that as soon as finances permitted, it was hoped to extend the instructional polite now being inaugurated at Ituakura, where youths were being received for a two vears’s course, which was both practical and educational. EXPERIMENTAL WORK. A conference has been arranged between the officers of the Agricultural Department, the offj.ers of Canterbury Agricultural College and the Cawthron Institute, to discuss the question of field experiments and to promote a comprehensive scheme. Such sell me will then be submitted to the

Board of Agriculture for its consideration, before being put into operation. EXPORTATION OF STUD STOCK TO ENGLAND. It was reported that the Prime Minister was personally making represen • tation at the Economic Conference with a view to the removal of the disabilities placed on the importation oi stud stocK from New A Bill is now under preparation and it is anticipated that legislation will be introduced duiing the next sessio i or Parliament. DEHORNING OF CATLE. It was reported that the Department ot Agriculture'would be shortly issuing a pamphlet, setting forth the best method ot dehorning and also showing the great suffering and damage being caused by horned cattle in trucks and yards. DISEASES IN TURNIPS. Experiments are being carried out to discover, if jiossibie, a disease ing swede. Some 2cwt of seed has been distributed among 100 farmers this year, and the results are being awaited with interest. Further investigations are being carried out to discover the cause oi the disease and the remedy. . ROYAL SHOW. It was reported that steps had becu taken to obtain the consent of his word “ Royal’- in the title of the pro posed Royal Agricultural Society of New Zealand, and to request the issue of an Order-in-Council incorporating the society. As soon as these are ob tained, a general meeting ot members will be held (possibly about the middle oi December), to elect the officers and to make the necessary arrangenmt for the holding ot the first show at Palmerston North next November. Lt is proposed to hold the second Royal Show at Christchurch, and subsequent shows in the North and South islands alternately, at such places and time* as the council deems expedient, duo consideration being given to the locality of the previous show. A largo membership of the Royal Society is assured, and at the recent conference no fewer than three separate donations ot £IOO were promised to the society when formed.