PURE SEEDS BILL.

Waipa Post, Volume I, Issue 21, 27 June 1911, Page 4

PURE SEEDS BILL.

AND SOME OTHER TOPICS,

The Minister for Agriculture (the Hon. T. Mackenzie) delivered a short address at the National Dairy Conference this week. In a brief reference to the seeds question, he said that he had been greatly interested in the subject when in England, and could assure the farmers that good seedgrowers at Home were nearly broken-hearted because their seed had to compete with badly-bred seed. It was his hope to place on the Statute Book next session a Seeds Purity Bill. It was a most difficult matter, but it would have to be faced.

All knew that dairying in New Zealand had attained a very high degree of success, and when one contrasted our present-day knowledge with our past ignorance the state to-day was one for great congratulation. The Department of Agriculture was indebted to the farmers for their help in the inauguration of

j cow-testing associations and the l initiation of pasteurisation. He | had heard that if the Department j pushed on with pasteurisation I they would probably meet trouble, 1 but he was glad to say that no I such bother had occurred, f Regarding the Department’s

Home operations, they all knew

that the Government was sending to England a dairy produce representative. Some paper had asked: “ What is coming over Mr Cameron now ? Will their duties conflict?” Their duties would not conflict: they might co-operate. The new representative would keep in toitch with

the butter and cheese business, and advise the Department. It was within the knowledge of the people in the industry that we were not getting correct representations from agents, They must have correct information,. and wanted to avoid anything in the

! shape of Home arbitration. If | Home arbitration obtained in the \ dairy industry they would have |no guarantee that the awards | made were fair. Over and over - again, in connection with the | meat trade, he nad seen most un- | just a wards made. He hoped

things which were a disgrace in the meat trade would not creep into the dairy produce business.

Producers nearer the London market had a great advantage over New Zealanders in situation, so we must at least do as well as

our competitors to keep our end n n