HONEY PRODUCERS

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20813, 25 May 1939, Page 11

HONEY PRODUCERS

SMALLER CROP YIELD SOUTH AUCKLAND SEASON PROGRESS MADE BY INDUSTRY South Auckland honey producers discussed the management and marketing problems of their industry at the annual Meeting of the SouLh Auckland branch of the New Zealand Ree Keepers’ Association held in Hamilton yesterday. The chairman, Mr W. Trownson, presided over a good attendance, which included Mr \V. Nelson, chairman of the Honey Control Board The. season in the South Auckland district was a very disappointing one, stated‘the annual report. The weather was very cold and wet during the usual honey gathering month and resulted fn a very small crop. The annual field day was very well attended and proved generally successful. The services of the Government instructor. Mr T. S. Winter, had been lost to the district during the year because of his transfer to Auckland. South Auckland bee keepers were fortunate, however, in having Mr W. J. Fix, an experienced instructor, appointed to All the position of instructor in South Auckland. Although it was believed that disease was well under control, it was evident from some reports that it was not yet eliminated. Constant vigilance was needed to keep disease in check. It was gratifying to hear from the national secretary that the association had gained a fair number of new members. The South Auckland branch believed that this increase was due to the insurance scheme and the recommencement of the journal for honey producers, which kept members fully i informed on national and marketing topics. In seconding the adoption of the annual report and statement of accounts, Mr T. 11. Pearson stated that the secretary, Mr A. H. Davies, was to be congratulated on the satisfactory position of the branch and the increase in membership.

Importation of Beeswax The fact that there was not the shortage of beeswax that was alleged in some quarters was indicated by j several speakers. In the event of a : shortage occurring, any importations ! should be done only through the. Internal Marketing Department, consid- I ered Mr Nelson. Any profit gained by the department could then be do- J voted to the honey division of the do- | partment. The meeting decided to forward as a remit to the national conference of ! bee keepers in June the suggestion : that any importation of beeswax, if it ' were necessary, should he done only j through llie Internal Marketing De- i partment. Not a Fair Deal “We are not gettins a fair deal in ; comparison with those who have their lorries on the road day in and day out,” stated Mr T. H. Pearson in moving that the branch ask the Government to revoke the heavy license fees on bee keepers’ lorries. Some county councils were not collecting the fees from farmers, stated Mr W. Nelson, but at the same time it had to be remembered that other councils were doing so. .Another member stated that the Minister of Finance, the Hon. W. Nash, had, according to reports, definitely intimated that there would be no con- ; cessions to farmers. If heavy license ■ fees on farmers’ lorries were provided ! for by law, then the county councils 1 were only within their rights in charg- j ing the feesMr Pearson’s motion was carried ! unanimously. It was decided to forward as a rc- ! rriit to the national conference a sug- ! gestion of Mr E. R. Clark that the con- j ferenee convey to the Government its 1 dissatisfaction with the revised condi- i tions under which the apiary instruc- | tors had to carry out their duties. It was indicated by the motion that the , present conditions placed the instructors directly under the control of dis- : tricl supervisors—all of whom were formerly orchard instructors and had no knowledge or understanding of the requirements of the honey industry. The remit also suggested that the apiary instructors should be directly under the control of a chief apiarist who should be responsible to the Director-General of Horticulture. * Election of Officers The officers elected were;—President, Mr W. J. Trownson; vice-presid-ent, Mr F. D. Holt; secretary, Mr A. H. Davies; committee, Messrs T. H. Pearson, A. E. Headman, A- L. Pearson, 11. Jefferies and G. V. Gow ; delegate to conference, Mr A. 11. Davies.