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Table-poultry Production. —Increased attention has been focused upon table-poultry production -during the war years, due largely to the demands of the American Forces in the Pacific area and an increased demand in New Zealand following meat rationing. The United States Joint Purchasing Board called for a high-grade chicken processed in a manner similar to chickens in the United States of America. The effect of meeting their requirements has had some beneficial reaction upon table-poultry production in the Dominion and resulted in certain firms maintaining a better standard of killing and processing, although the American demand has ceased. This will ultimately benefit both the consumer and poultry-producers. At the request of the American authorities the Department established a table-poultry-producing plant at Upper Hutt in 1944 for the production of chickens for the United States Joint Purchasing Board. Although serious difficulties in rearing were encountered in the early stages, and despite the necessity for severely curtailing production at a later date due to a shortage of poultryfoods, approximately 30,000 birds were processed and passed to the United States Joint Purchasing Board. Having served its original purpose of producing chickens for the United States Joint Purchasing Board, it is considered that this plant could be reorganized for demonstration, educational, and research purposes and so be of considerable value to the poultry industry. Approval to adopt this •course on a permanent basis is being sought, and it is envisaged that the stock from the Poultry Station, Wallaceville, will be transferred to this new property. The latter offers full facilities for a ■demonstration table unit, a pedigree stud flock, and a general laying flock for use in practical feeding and management experiments. There is also sufficient housing for the establishment of laying trials at which stock sent in by poultry-breeders could be tested for egg-production. Educational Work. —Of necessity, this has been somewhat restricted during the war years, largely because poultry-farmers have found it difficult to travel to meetings. Poultry publications of educational value have also been limited during the war period owing to paper shortages, but a start- has been made to rectify this position by the publication of three new bulletins dealing in •detail with different aspects of poultry husbandry. At the instigation of the Department, Massey and Lincoln Agricultural Colleges received grants of money for an extension of their activities in poultry husbandry, with the short-term policy of increased egg-production and a post-war policy of providing a centre in each Island for training poultry students. Massey Agricultural College made extensive additions to their existing plant, while Lincoln established an entirely new plant for 2,000 laying birds. In concluding this report it is gratifying to record that, in spite of the many difficulties •occasioned by a prolonged period of war, the poultry industry has made progress. The Department has been able to assist in this progress with an expansion of the services offered to poultry-farmers, a service which is both necessary and appreciated by those concerned. Wool The report of Mr. J. P. E. Duncan, Wool Supervisor, is submitted herewith : During the last twelve months the work of this section has returned almost to the pre-war scope. Certain differences are still in evidence, however —e.g., the appraisal scheme is still in operation, which lays down fixed types and prices for wool and makes instructional work on woolclassing considerably simpler. Lecturing activities still include work for the Army Educational and Welfare Service and young farmers' clubs. Lectures are always accompanied by a visual aid—either film, film strip, lantern slides, or a practical demonstration on wool. A number of instructional articles have been published in the New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, and two new bulletins have been published on " Spinning " and " The Power Spray Method of Dipping Sheep." Requests for plans of wool-sheds, yards, and dips have received attention, and additional plans for sheep-yards of special design have been prepared and yards built at Ruakura and Manutuke Animal Research Stations. The usual reports on wool samples submitted by farmers and others have been sent out. A number of new projects have been initiated during the year. A survey of all the wool-scouring works in the Dominion has been completed to ascertain the present capacity of the industry, the types of machinery and equipment available, and general efficiency or otherwise of the work "being done. Some work has been undertaken for the Marketing Department in checking up on conditions of wool storage and dealing with deterioration due to insect damage. At Ruakura the new powerspray dip was thoroughly tested during the dipping season and has given every satisfaction. In addition, small-scale trials with new potential dipping-materials such as " D.D.T." and " 666 " have been commenced in collaboration with the Animal Research Division, and results to hand are promising. During the last session the necessary amendments were made to the Stock Act to render all wool-marking preparations subject to test and Ministerial approval prior to sale and use. All the branding-materials on the market at the present time, including raddles, marking-pencils, and branding-fluids, have now been tested for scourability. The results show that all the raddles and marking-pencils can readily be removed by standard scouring methods, but that the majority of marking-fluids (branding-oils) are more or less resistant to scouring. There is one outstanding exception, however, one of the imported marking-fluids being quite easy to scour out. The satisfactory products have been given Ministerial approval for sale and use, which must in future

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