The Waipa Post. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1913. A NEW EXPORT.

Waipa Post, Volume IV, Issue 186, 7 February 1913, Page 2

The Waipa Post. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1913. A NEW EXPORT.

THE fact that 115,7591b50f honey valued at £2255 were exported from the Dominion for the year ending 31st March last shows that a good start has been made with an export trade which promises to maintain and enhance

the reputation of the Dominion as a food producer. There is no doubt that the stability of New Zealand, nay even its very exist-

ence depends on its export trade, and the smallest efforts towards the increase of the volume of such exports must be worthy of encouragement, Fortunately, as

has always been the case with agricultural produce, the Government has had a keen eye to the value to the country of an export trade in honey, and for some years the Department of Agriculture has devoted a considerable

amount of time and attention to fostering the beekeeping industry. To start a new industry is often an easy enough affair, but to resuscitate a languishing one, especially when such backsliding is caused by uncontrollable disease, is by no means so easy a proposition. This was the position faced by the Government some few years ago, when in answer to numerous enquiries for departmental assistance it was resolved to appoint a Government expert in the person of Mr Isaac Hopkins, the veteran beekeeper. On taking up his appointment Mr Hopkins at once realised that the only possible way of resuscitating the beekeeping industry in New Zealand would be by dealing with that fell disease —foul brood, which had decimated the apiaries throughout the length and breadth of the land. To do this it would be necessary to pass : a bill through Parliament giving inspectors similar rights to those found necessary to safeguard the dairying industry. With characteristic energy Mr Hopkins drafted an excellent bill dealing with the matter in a commonsense way, and giving the inspectors the right to cause those who would not give their diseased

bees proper care to destroy them entirely, and thus prevent the spread of disease to other healthy localities. The Bill, the Apiaries Act, was duly passed through Parliament, and resulted in the appointment of two inspectors, one for the North Island and one for the South, to examine into the condition of all bees, and to take the necessary steps to stamp out

foul brood. Good work was done by the inspectors, but owing to the enormous amount of country to be covered it was found necessary in 1911 to appoint two additional ones, and for that purpose the Dominion was divided into four centres, namely (1), Auckland Provincial District; (2), Wellington, Hawke's Bay and laranaki; (3), Canterbury, Westland, Nelson and Marlborough ; (4), Otago and Southland; and one inspector appointed to each centre. Not content with this the Department started several model and experimental apiaries in various parts of the North and South Island, and the present flourishing condition of the industry, and the fact that the local consumption has been overtaken, and export become necessary, is a clear indication of the wisdom of such' action. The English market alone absorbs over 1000 tons of honey per year, while many of the Continental States are also large importers, and there is no reason why New Zealand's modest 50 tons exported last year should not soon be 500 tons or more. A great point in favor of New Zealand honey, and one that should stand it in good stead when brought into direct competition is the fact that it is almost all first-class, and therefore sure of finding a ready market at a good price. Of course as in all cases of the building up of an export trade, much remains to be done in regard to regularity of shipments and such like, but the fact that a start has been made should be a great encouragement to all concerned, and we hope that the beekeepers will cordially co-operate with the department, with a view to extending New Zealand's latest export and maintaining it on a

scale of purity and excellence equal to that of her other food products. So far as the home consumption of honey is concerned the departmental returns showed that 1,341,513 lbs valued at £28,104 was disposed of, and that this, with the amount exported was produced by 71,584

hives. Among by-products 280lbs beeswax was sold to the value of £1753. These figures show that the industry is undoubtedly a thriving one, and the position of the Auckland province with a production of 399,7031b50f honey and 90221bs of beeswax is evi-

deuce that locally it is being well-supported. Bee-keeping in England has been dealt an almost fatal blow by tii: spread of a new disease popularly known as the Isle of Wight disease, and New Zealand beekeepers should therefore see the desirability of exporting as much honey as can possibly be spared to take advantage of the position of dearth at home. The need for legislation absolutely prohibiting the

further importations of bees into the Dominion, and thereby insuring the country against the importation of further diseases, has for some time been apparent,

and we understand that the matter is receiving the attention of the department. It remains however, for the individual beekeeper by agitation and organization to do his utmost to assist in placing on the statute book this

very desirable precaution. Notwithstanding the wet and boisterous spring, this season promises to be an excellent one, and we hope that it will result in a large increase in [the export figures and continued prosperity for a young and deserving industry-