AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL INDUSTRIES AND STOCK COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF THE). (Sir G. HUNTER, Kt., Chairman.)

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1925 Session I, I-10

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1925. NEW ZEALAND.

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL INDUSTRIES AND STOCK COMMITTEE (REPORTS OF THE). (Sir G. HUNTER, Kt., Chairman.)

Presented to the House of Representatives, and ordered to be printed.

ORDERS OP REFERENCE. Extracts from the Journals of the House of Representatives. Thursday, the 16tii Day of July, 1925. Ordered, " That a Select Committee be appointed, consisting of ten members, to consider all matters pertaining to agriculture and pastoral industries and stock ; with power to confer and sit together with any similar Committee which may be appointed by the Legislative Council, and to agree to a joint or separate report; the Committee to have power to call for persons, papers, and records ; three to be a quorum : the Committee to consist of Mr. Burnett, Mr. Corrigan, Mr. Field, Mr. Forbes, Mr. Hawken, Sir G. Hunter, Mr. Langstone, Mr. Lysnar, Hon. Mr. Ngata, and the mover."— (Hon. Mr. Nosworthy.) WEDNESDAY, THE 22ND DAY OF JULY, 1925. Ordered, " That the Shearers' Accommodation Amendment Bill be referred to the Agricultural and Pastoral Industries and Stock Committee."—(Mr. Langstone.) Thursday, the 23rd Day of July, 1925. Ordered, " That all petitions not finally dealt with during the session of 1924 be again referred to the same Committee as they were referred to during the said session." —(Hon. Mr. Coates.)

REPORTS. Shearers' Accommodation Amendment Bill. I have the honour to report that, the Bill having been fully considered by the Committee, and it being agreed that its objects could be attained by regulations under the Shearers' Accommodation Act, 1919, the Committee recommends that the Bill be allowed to be withdrawn. 10th September, 1925.

No. 193, Petition of James Purchase, of Johnsonville, and 29 Others ; No. 194, Petition of E. Isaacs, of Karori, and 8 Others ; No. 239, Petition of James J. Maher, of Mungaroa, and 49 Others ; No. 240, Petition of L. D. Nairn, of Johnsonville, and 32 Others. Praying for the setting-up of a Price Fixation Board in connection with the Wellington City milksupply. I am directed to report that in the opinion of the Committee the petitions should be referred to the Government for favourable consideration, together with the following recommendations (1.) As regards the Near-by Farmers. —That a Commission be established, to be called the Wellington City Milk-supply Control Commission (hereinafter referred to as the Commission). The Commission shall consist of the Director-General of Agriculture and the Director-General of Health.

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The Commission shall have an official seal for authentification of documents executed or issued by it. Also, all Courts shall take judicial notice of such seal. The Commission may appoint a clerk and other officers, and such clerk shall keep minutes of the proceedings of the Commission. The Commission shall issue under its seal all licenses to enable near-by farmers to sell milk in excess of 30 gallons in the City of Wellington, and shall have power to cancel such licenses if the licensees fail to carry out the requirements of the Commission. The issue of any license by the Commission shall be contingent on the near-by farmer concerned fulfilling all the requirements of the Commission in respect of sanitary conditions of premises and utensils, health of employees and of herds, standards of quality of milk, and the furnishing of such information as is required by the Commission. Each licensed near-by farmer shall be allowed to sell retail in the city the whole of the milk produced from his farm by the exercise of good farming practice. In the event of any question arising as to whether any near-by farmer is selling a greater quantity of milk than can be produced from his farm by the exercise of good farming practice, the DirectorGeneral of Agriculture shall determine whether he is or is not selling such greater quantity, and his decision shall be final. No licensed near-by farmer shall purchase milk from any person or persons other than the Wellington City Council. The Committee is further of opinion that licensed near-by farmers should not be allowed to sell milk through the medium of agents or of shops principally devoted to the sale of milk. (2.) Wellington I) airy-farmers' Co-operative Association (Limited) (hereinafter referred to as the company). —There should be established a Board, to be called the Wellington City Milk-supply Board (hereinafter referred to as the Board). The Board to consist of —(a) Two persons appointed by the Minister of Agriculture on the recommendation of the company ; (b) two persons appointed by the Minister of Agriculture on the recommendation of the City Council; (c) one person, who will be Chairman, appointed by the Minister of Agriculture on the joint recommendation of the persons appointed under paragraphs {a) and (6) above : Provided that if such persons shall for a period of seven days after their appointment fail to make a recommendation, the Director-General of Agriculture shall appoint a Chairman, who will act as an umpire under the provisions of the Arbitration Act, 1908. (3.) Rahui Suppliers. —There shall also be appointed by the Minister of Agriculture to the Wellington City Milk-supply Board two persons recommended by the Rahui Society. These two persons to sit on the Board only when the society is a party to the proceedings, and to then act in substitution for the two persons appointed by the company. With regard to the making of an agreement for the present season with the Rahui Society, if any delay occurs in setting up the Wellington City Milk-supply Board (as provided in the Committee's recommendation regarding the Wellington Dairy-farmers' Co-operative Association (Limited), the clause in the proposed agreement between the Wellington City Council and the society regarding the price to be paid to the suppliers of the society for export butter or cheese should be deleted, and a clause be substituted for it under which the suppliers to the society will be paid on the basis of current values instead of London values three months, later, as proposed. Further, any moneys now held back from the suppliers by the City Council should at once be paid over. 30th September, 1.925.

Special Report. I have the honour to report that the Agricultural and Pastoral Industries and Stock Committee desires to place on record its high appreciation of the courtesy and ability with which the Chairman, Sir George Hunter, has conducted the business of the Committee. It further desires that this resolution shall be recorded on the minutes of the Committee, and be reported to the House. W. H. Field, 30th September, 1925. Member of the Committee.

Special Report. This Committee desires to record its great appreciation of the ability and assiduity shown by its Clerk, Mr. Fox, in the discharge of his duties, and strongly recommends that he be appointed a permanent member of the Committee Clerk staff forthwith. 30th September, 1925.

Final Report. I have the honour to report that the Agricultural and Pastoral Industries and Stock Committee, consisting of ten members, has held ten meetings during the session. The Committee reported on the Shearers' Accommodation Amendment Bill, and also dealt with four petitions on various phases of the position created by the Wellington City Milk-supply Act, 1919. 30th September, 1925.

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