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APPENDIX. CONT E N T S. i'age. Page. Live-stock Division . . . .. .. 10 Biology Section . . .. .. . . 40 Dairy Division .. .. .. .. 17 Hemp-grading Service .. .. .. 43 Horticulture Division .. .. .. 28 Grain-grading Service. . .. .. .. 45 Fields Instruction and Experimental Barms Branoh 34 Publications .. .. .. .. 45 Chemistry Section .. .. .. .. 38 Industries and Commerce .. .. ..46

LIVE-STOCK DIVISION. REPORT OF THE DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR. The Director-General. Wellington, 4th July, 1919. I forward herewith my annual report for the year ended 31st March last. A. R. Young, M.R.C.V.S., Director. Introduction. My appointment to the position of Director of the Division was not made until Ist September, 1918. I have, therefore, not controlled the work as Director during the whole of the year under review, and consequently must confine the annual report, to some extent at least, only in so far as my connection during that period is concerned. In doing so I wish to thank you and the other officers directly connected with me in the direction of the work for the invaluable assistance rendered me in taking over the control of the Division. The reorganization of the Department, involving the administration of the Rabbit Nuisance Act and Noxious Weeds Act being handed to this Division, necessitated a very great amount of extra work. The procedure required in making certain appointments carrying with them promotion to important positions led to much delay and inconvenience, and the carrying-out of the reorganization proposals were consequently much delayed. Even at 31st March appeals against some of the appointments made some months previously were still pending, resulting in uncertainty regarding the ultimate position. Efficiency has been the one thing aimed at in these appointments, and it is most essential to the Department in the work in which it is engaged that it should not be hampered by the liability of having its plans indefinitely delayed and also disorganized some time after the machinery has been set in motion. The work of the Division, in common with all other branches, was to some extent disorganized by the influenza epidemic, but with the exception of the late Mr. David. Patterson, of the office staff, who succumbed to the disease, I am pleased to say the officers of the Division who contracted the influenza all recovered, and in due course resumed their former duties. In Mr. Patterson the Department lost a most valued and promising officer, and his demise is regretted by all with whom he had come in contact in carrying out his duties in the Department. I have also to record the death after a somewhat severe and long illness of Mr. C. R. Matthews, Meat Inspector. Mr. Matthews was a faithful and loyal servant of the Department, and his demise is to be regretted. Another officer whose death is also to be regretted is Mr. A. F. Wilson, Fields Inspector, Ohakune, who died in February last, just a few days subsequent to the date of my taking over the officers handed over to this Division under the reorganization scheme. Animal-diseases. It is a pleasure to record that the Dominion is still free from the more serious diseases affecting stock in other countries, and with regard to those diseases already existing, they have been kept well in hand, no serious outbreak of any disease occurring during the year. Blackleg. —During the year the regulations defining the boundaries in the Auckland District were amended, it being found necessary to extend the quarantine area somewhat, also to bring some of the " B " area into " A. " area in the schedule, with a view to more effectually controlling this disease in that district and preventing its further spread. The measures taken have proved effective, but a few suspicious cases of blackleg have occurred outside the declared area, and it may later be necessary to have the schedule further amended. No alteration has been necessary in the boundaries of the Taranaki District, where inoculation was first made compulsory. The number of calves inoculated in both districts —Taranaki and Auckland —shows a reduction in both cases when compared with the previous year, this presumably being a result of a greater number of calves being killed at birth. The figures are as under :— Calves inoculated, Twelve Months ending 31st March, 1918. Hist March, 1919. Auckland .. .. .. .. .. .. 106,614 98,881 Taranaki .. .. .. .. .. .. 73,620 53,024 In addition, a number of second inoculations were carried out, the figures being Auckland 10,524, Taranaki 8,241, as compared with Auckland 7,496 and Taranaki 9,075 for the previous year. As usual, all the vaccine used was prepared at the Veterinary Laboratory, and the result has been eminently satisfactory.