WEATHER RECORDS.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXVI, Issue 2, 20 February 1923, Page 126

WEATHER RECORDS.

JANUARY, 1923.

The following general summary and rainfall statistics are supplied'to the Journal by the Director of the Dominion Meteorological Office (Mr. D. C. Bates) :• — The weather for the month of January was remarkable for the number of wet days as well as a heavy rainfall, especially in the north-eastern districts of both Islands. The total falls so far reported by post and telegraph show that over the greater part of the Dominion the quantities recorded were from two to three times greater than usual in the same period in former years; but in the west coast and southern districts of the South Island the rainfall was below the average. There were some very : heavy downpours scattered throughout the Dominion, mostly occurring at the time of electric disturbances, ' which were ■quite common. The winds were variable, but easterlies had a predominance. The most striking feature of the meteorological conditions was the small range of barometric pressure in all parts of the.country, this being less than half an inch, and the readings below the normal nearly the whole time. Dull and misty weather with warm and humid conditions were prevalent, and made hay-harvesting a very trying business for the farmers. .

ESTIMATED YIELDS OF WHEAT AND OAT CROPS.

The following estimated average yields per acre of wheat and oats for the season 1922-23 have been compiled by the Government Statistician from reports furnished by Inspectors of the Department of Agriculture throughout the Dominion, and issued under date 7th February : —

In accordance with the above estimates, the total yield of wheat for the Dominion should be approximately 8,500,000 bushels, as against an actual yield of 10,565,275 bushels for the season 1921-22 (when a greater acreage was sown). The percentage of oat crop threshed for the five seasons ending with 1921-22 was 31-49 of the total area under that crop. Assuming that a similar proportion is threshed this year, the total yield of grain should be 5,000,000 bushels, as against an actual yield of 6,752,663 bushels for the season 1921-22. .

IMPORTATION OF FERTILIZERS, DECEMBER QUARTER.

Following are the importations of fertilizers into New Zealand for the quarter ended 31st December, 1922: Sulphate of Ammonia : United Kingdom, 91 tons ; Australia, 90 tons : total, 18 tons. Gypsum : Australia, 20 tons. Nitrate o> Soda: United Kingdom, no tons; Belgium, 10 tons; Chile, 40 tons: total, 160 tons. Basic Slag : United Kingdom, 502 tons; Belgium, 1,256 tons; Luxemburg, 50 tons; United States of America, ' 1,50'0 tons: total, 3,308 tons. Bonedust: India, 550 tons; Australia, 455 tons : total, 1,005 tons. Char-dust and Bone Char : ■ Australia, 215 tons. Guano : United Kingdom, 10 tons ; Malden Island, 1,415 tons; New Caledonia, 1,565 tons : total, 2,990 tons. Rock Phosphate: Ocean Island, 6,300 tons. Kainit : United Kingdom, 125 tons; France, 100 tons; Germany, 315 tons: total, 540 tons. Muriate ol Potash : Germany, 5 tons. Sulphate of Potash : United Kingdom, 10 tons ; Germany, 135 tons : total, 145 tons. Potash, other : France, 85 tons ; : Germany, 125 tons : total, 210 tons. Sulphate o f Iron : Australia, 46 tons. Other Fertilizers : United Kingdom, 1 ton.

BOARD OF AGRICULTURE ACT REGULATIONS.

PROCEDURE AS TO NOMINATIONS, ETC. New regulations under the Board of Agriculture Act, 1913 (revoking those of 20th January, 1914), were gazetted last month, and are reprinted in full below. Preliminary action in regard to nominations, as prescribed, has been duly taken by the Director-General of Agriculture. ' '

■ ■ ' REGULATIONS. 1. In these regulations “ Board ” means the Board of Agriculture. “ Society ” means a society incorporated under the Agricultural and Pastoral Societies Act, 1908. 2. The manner in which societies may recommend persons for appointment as members of the Board shall be as follows :— ' (1.) The North Island shall for the purposes of these regulations be divided into four districts, having the names and boundaries set forth under the heading of North Island in the First Schedule, hereto ; and the South Island shall similarly be divided into four districts as set forth in the said Schedule under the heading of. South Island. One member of the Board may be appointed on the recommendation of such of the societies as have their headquarters in each of the said districts. ■ ■ - (2.) The societies specified as Metropolitan Societies in the. said Schedule shah for the purposes of these regulations be deemed to be the Metropolitan Societies for their respective districts. ■ . (3.) The Director-General of Agriculture (hereinafter called the DirectorGeneral ”) shall, not later than the 21st day of January in the year 1923, and not later than the same date in every third year thereafter, send by registered post to the President ’(hereinafter called “the Metropolitan President”) of the Metropolitan Society in each of the said districts a list giving the names of all the societies having their headquarters within the district of such Metropolitan Society and which were incorporated on or before the 31st day of December next preceding the issue of the said list. Tn the event of a casual vacancy .occurring in the membership of the Board the Director-General shall as soon as possible issue in like manner a similar list in respect of the district whose representation has ceased by reason of the said vacancy. (4.) The Metropolitan President in each district shall, not later than the last day of January aforesaid, send by registered post to the President of each of the societies named in the said list a notice (in the form set out in the Second Schedule hereto) advising each society that it may send a delegate or delegates to a meeting to be held for the purpose of recommending persons for appointment by the Governor-General to the Board, and calling for nominations for such appointment to be sent in to the Metropolitan President not later than the last day of February. Every such delegate shall be a member of the society appointing him. (5.) The Metropolitan President shall send to the President of each of the. aforesaid societies, not later than the 9th day of March, a list of the nominees referred to in the preceding subclause, and shall also at the same time advise the societies of the date on which the meeting shall be held to elect a representative on the Board, such advice to be sent out at least twenty-one clear days before the meeting. (6.) The meeting shall be held at such convenient centre in the district as may be decided upon by the Metropolitan President, and the notice shall give full particulars of the place and time at which the meeting will be held. (7.) In the event of no nomination being forwarded to the Metropolitan President as provided in subclause (4) hereof a representative shall be nominated by the meeting of delegates. (8.) The Metropolitan President shall be the delegate or one of the delegates of the Metropolitan Society at the said meeting, of which he shall be Chairman, and he may exercise thereat a casting-vote in addition to a deliberative vote. (9.) The voting at the said meeting shall be by ballot, and, except as provided' in subclause (12) hereof, every delegate of a society may exercise one vote and no more.

(io.) No person except the delegates of societies named in the list supplied as aforesaid by the Director-General shall speak or vote at the said meeting; and every delegate shall, before speaking or voting, produce, to the satisfaction of the Metropolitan President a document signed by the President or Secretary of his society certifying that the delegate has been duly appointed by the said society to attend the said meeting, and setting out the number of financial members comprised in the said society on the 31st day of December next preceding the date of the meeting. (11.) Every society advised as hereinbefore provided to be represented at any such meeting may send thereto one or more delegates according to the number of its financial members as stated in the certificate referred to in the last preceding subclause. The number of, such delegates shall not exceed the following scale : 400 members or under, 1 delegate; over 400 and not over 800, .2 delegates ; over 800 and not over 1,200, 3 delegates; over 1,200 members, 4 delegates. (12.) If any society fails to send to any such meeting the full number of delegates corresponding to the membership of the society, the delegate or delegates sent by the society may exercise the full number of votes which the whole of the delegates of the society would have been entitled to exercise if present at the meeting. (13.) At the time and place appointed for any such meeting the Metropolitan President shall, if more than one person is nominated to be recommended to the Governor- for appointment to the said Board, take a vote as between the-said persons. In the event of there being more than one candidate a ballot or ballots shall be taken, and the candidate at. each ballot polling the lowest number of votes shall retire until (a) one candidate receives an absolute majority, when he shall be . declared elected ; or (d) only two candidates remain, in which case a further ballot shall be taken, and the one who receives a majority of votes shall be declared elected. - ■ (14.) The Metropolitan President shall within three days after the said meeting notify to the Minister of Agriculture by registered, letter the names of all persons so nominated, and, if a vote has been taken, the number of votes cast for each. The persons so nominated shall thereupon be deemed to have been recommended to the Governor-General in the order indicated by the number of votes cast for each. . 3. Subject to the provisions of clause 5 hereof, each member of the said. Board shall, when absent from home on the business of the Board, be entitled to a refund of his expenses of locomotion, and to a travelling-allowance of thirty shillings for each day or part of a day during which he is so absent. 4. The Board may, subject to the written concurrence of the Minister of Agriculture, set up one or more temporary special committees, consisting wholly or partly of persons not members of the Board, to inquire into and report to the ■ Board upon any specified matter or matters. 5. Excepting in the case of his locomotion expenses and travelling-allowances in connection with attendance at meetings of the Board, no member of the said Board shall incur any charge against the public funds without first obtaining the written authority of the Minister of Agriculture. 6. The undermentioned officers may, unless otherwise requested by the President, attend any meeting of the said Board The Director-General of Agriculture, the Director of Education, the Under-Secretary of Lands, and the Director of Forestry. ' .

FIRST SCHEDULE. , . ' ' North Island. 1. The Auckland District.— Comprising the Provincial District of Auckland, except the counties of Waiapu, Waikohu, and Cook. Metropolitan Society : The Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association. 2. The Hawke’s Bay District.— Comprising the Provincial District of Hawke's Bay, together with the counties of Waiapu, Waikohu, and Cook. Metropolitan Society : The Hawke’s Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society. 3. The Taranaki District.— Comprising the Provincial District of Taranaki. Metropolitan Society : The Taranaki Metropolitan Agricultural Society. 4. The Wellington District.— Comprising the Provincial District of Wellington. Metropolitan Society : The Manawatu and West Coast Agricultural and Pastoral Association. ■ •

South Island. 5. The Marlborough-Nelson-Westland District. — Comprising the provincial districts of Marlborough, Nelson, and Westland. Metropolitan Society : The Nelson Agricultural and Pastoral Association. 6. The Canterbury District. — Comprising the Provincial District of Canterbury. Metropolitan Society : The Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association. 7. The Otago District. Comprising the Provincial District of Otago, except the counties of Southland, Wallace, Lake, Fiord, and Stewart Island. Metropolitan Society : The Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Society. 8. The Southland District. — Comprising the counties of Southland, Wallace, I.ake, Fiord, and Stewart Island. Metropolitan Society : The Southland Agricultural and Pastoral Association. SECOND SCHEDULE. The President of the Society, . In accordance with the regulations under the Board of Agriculture Act, 1918, I hereby give notice that the Society is requested to send a delegate or delegates (according to the number of its members*) to a meeting to be held at the [Name, of building'] at [Name of town], at [Hour] .m., on day, the day of ,19, for the purpose of recommending persons for appointment by His Excellency the Governor-General to the Board of Agriculture. Nominations for such appointment may be made by your society, and must be forwarded to the undersigned on or before the last day of February, 19 ... Dated at , , the " day of , 19 - . ■ ’ ■ [Signature.]

EXPORT BUTTER-BOXES.

The Department is advised that several shipments of butter from New Zealand this season have been landed with an undue number of boxes broken in transit or discharge. In the case of one vessel repairs to broken boxes cost the shipping company over £57. Such charges, of course, tend to come back ultimately on the producer. In many cases lately the boxes used by our butter-factories have been made rather too light. The ends should be not less than | in. thick after double-dressing. Care should also be taken that the nails driven into the ends are well centred.

WORLD’S POULTRY CONGRESS, 1924.

Advices have been received by the Department from the High Commissioner, and from the President of the International Association of Poultry Instructors and Investigators (Mr. Edward Brown), London, that the Second World’s Poultry Congress and Exhibition will be held at Barcelona, Spain, in 1924. The Congress will be under the auspices of the Barcelona Municipality, and have the support of the Spanish Government, while the Royal School of Agriculture and the Live-stock Breeders’ Association of Spain will co-operate in the arrangements. The University of ' Barcelona has offered to accommodate the Congress in its fine buildings, and one of the buildings erected for the forthcoming Barcelona Universal Exhibition has been made available for an educational exhibition in connection with the Poultry Congress. An executive committee is in progress of formation which will in due course announce further plans and details for the Congress. . ' .

Cattle-tick Regulations. Amending regulations under the Stock Act for the prevention of the spread of ticks [Ixodidae] among cattle were gazetted on 1st February. The amendments relate to the boundaries and crossing-places of declared areas in certain districts. The principal alteration is in the Bay of Plenty, where the Area A boundary has been moved back nearer Opotiki. Slight changes have also been made in the Rotorua and Coromandel districts.

THE FIREBLIGHT ACT, 1922.

This measure, the full title of which is "An Act to make special provision for the control of the disease of fruit and other trees known as fireblight,” reads as follows :— 1. This Act may be cited as the Fireblight Act, 1922, and shall be read together with, and deemed part of the Orchard and Garden Diseases Act, 1908 (hereinafter referred to as the principal Act). ? 2. In this Act " commercial fruitgrowing district means a district declared as such by the Governor-General as hereinafter provided. 3. For the purpose of preventing the spread of and eradicating fireblight the Governor-General may from time to time, by Order in Council, declare any specified portion of New Zealand to be a commercial fruitgrowing district under a name set out in such Order, and may in like manner from time to time extend, vary, or abolish any such district. 4. The Governor-General may from time to time, by Order in Council, make regulations prescribing the trimming or cutting-down, in the manner and at the times specified, of all hawthorn growing within a commercial fruitgrowing district or any specified part thereof. 5. On being satisfied that fireblight exists in any commercial fruitgrowing district the Governor- may, by Order in Council, prescribe the complete destruction within the time specified in the Order of all hawthorn growing therein or in any specified part thereof. 6. (1.) Every occupier of land within a commercial fruitgrowing district shall take such steps as may be prescribed pursuant to this Act to trim, cut down, or destroy hawthorn growing on such land. (2.) If such occupier fails to take such steps he commits an offence against this Act ; and any Inspector under the principal Act, or other authorized officer, may forthwith take such steps at the expense in all things of the occupier, who, nevertheless, shall not thereby be relieved from any other liability incurred by him under this Act. . , 7. Every person who commits an offence against this Act is liable to a fine not exceeding five pounds for a first offence, and not exceeding fifty pounds for a subsequent offence : - Provided that no prosecution shall be instituted except by an Inspector under the principal Act. 8. Sections two and three of the Noxious Weeds Amendment Act, 1921, are hereby repealed; and . all special orders made by local authorities pursuant to the Noxious Weeds Act, 1908, and that Act, declaring hawthorn to be a noxious weed within their districts or any part thereof shall, in so far as they relate to hawthorn, be deemed to be revoked as from the passing of this Act..

REGULATIONS. Regulations under the Act were gazetted on 1st February, 1923. They define commercial fruitgrowing districts at Port Albert, Warkwoith, Waitemata, Albany, Te Kauwhata, Thames, Hawke’s Bay, Greytown, Waimea, Marlborough, Rangiora, Christchurch, and Otago. In the Thames and town districts,, and in parts of the Waitemata and Albany districts, all hawthorn must, in the months of June and July each year, be cut down so as to prevent any part from flowering. In other parts of the Waitemata and Albany districts, and in the Te Kauwhata district, the complete destruction of hawthorn before 30th June, 1923, is required.

Beech-forest Investigation.- —Dr. L. Cockayne, F.R.S., F.N.Z.Inst., has been engaged by the State Forest Service as honorary botanist to make a report on the beech (Nothofagus) forests of New Zealand. The habit and behaviour of the various beeches in the forest are very imperfectly known, so that the sylvicultural treatment required to secure beech-regeneration and a maximum and sustained yield of timber cannot at present be laid down. Dr. Cockayne’s investigations are planned to supply the required knowledge.

SEED DISPLAY FOR BRITISH EMPIRE EXHIBITION.

The Dominion Advisory Council of the British Empire Exhibition desires it to be known that it is intended to make a . thoroughly representative exhibit of New Zealand seeds at the British Empire Exhibition. This can only be done through the co-operation of the farmers of the Dominion, whose effective support in this respect is requested. To assist co-ordination a sub-committee has been set up to take the matter in hand, comprising the following' experts : Mr. H. C. Wilton, care of Messrs. Wright, Stephenson, and Co., Ltd., . Wellington (agricultural seeds) Mr. F. Cooper, care of Messrs. F. Cooper, Ltd., Wellington (vegetableseeds) ; and Mr. A. H. Messenger, State Forest Service, Wellington (tree-seeds). Farmers who consider that they can assist in assembling a first-class exhibit are requested to communicate as early as possible with any of the above-mentioned gentlemen, who will supply them with full information. The co-operation of the New Zealand Grain-merchants’ Federation has already been sought by the issue of circulars to the individual members. For decorative .purposes a considerable quantity of sheaves will also be required. . ■

NEW ZEALAND VETERINARY ASSOCIATION.

Advantage was taken of the presence of a large number of veterinary surgeons in Wellington in connection with the Science Congress last month to hold a meeting to discuss the formation of a veterinary association for New Zealand. The point was stressed that at the present time there is no law in New. Zealand to prevent unqualified men setting up as veterinary surgeons, and ■ that so long as such a state existed so long would stockowners suffer by having their animals subjected to unskilled treatment. This position, in the. interests of both the stockowner and the qualified veterinarian, required remedying, . and an association could do much in this direction in influencing the powers that be, and educating the farmer in the value of obtaining professional advice- for his animals. It was unanimously decided to form a New Zealand Veterinary Association, • and a committee was appointed to draft a constitution. Mr. W. T. Collins, M.R.G.V.S., Department of Agriculture, Wellington, is acting as Secretary.

FORTHCOMING AGRICULTURAL SHOWS.

Masterton A. and P. Association : Masterton, 20th and 21st February. Te Awamutu A. and P. Association : Te Awamutu, 21st February. Omaha and Pakiri A. and H. Association : Leigh, 21st February. Whakatane A. and P. Association :' Taneatua, 21st February. Rangitikei A. and P. Association : Taihape, 22nd February. Opotiki A. and P. Association : Opotiki, 23rd February. Franklin A. and P. Society : . Pukekohe, 23rd and 24th February.. Rotorua A. and P. Association : Rotorua, 28th February. . Katikati A. and P. Society: Katikati, 1st March. North Kaipara Agricultural Association : Paparoa, 1st March. Taumarunui A. and P. Association: Taumarunui, 7th March. Taranaki Metropolitan Agricultural Society : New Plymouth, 7th and 8th March, Waikato Central Agricultural Association : Cambridge, 7th and 8th March. Morrinsville A.,P., and H. Society: Morrinsville, 14th March. Methven A. and P. Association : Methven, 15th March. Hawke's Bay A. and P. Society : 20th and 21st March (Autumn Show). Temuka and Geraldine A. and P. Association : Temuka, 22nd March. Matamata A. and P. Association : Matamata, 22nd March. Mayfield A. and P. Association : Mayfield, 24th March. .

New Rabbit District. The constituting of the Apiti-Pohangina-Rabbit District (Wellington Land District) under Part III of the Rabbit Nuisance Act, 1908, is gazetted. ■

*See subclause fir) of clause 2 of the regulations mentioned.

Station. Total Fall. Number of Wet Days. Maximum Fall. * Average January Rainfall. . North Island. Inches. Inches. Inches. Kaitaia . . ... 3-36 Russell • . . 3-i8 9 0’94 4’54 Auckland . . . . - . . 6’44 15 2-14 2-57 Hamilton ■ . . : . 5’34 19 0-90 3’7° Kawhia ... ... ■ . . 5-00 14 0-98 3’37 New Plymouth 12-29 18 4-86 4-32 Inglewood . . . . . 17-48 21 7-17 7-3i • Whangamomona . . . . 13-04 20 3-40 5-82 Tairua, Thames . .' ... 4-48 13 0-72 4-12 Tauranga . . . . .. • 6-12 16 2-12 4'35 Maraehako Station, Opotiki 7-82 17 1-98 2-87 Gisborne ... . . 5-90 14 1-44 2’77 Taupo . . . . 6-95 15 2-76 3-46 Napier 3-°3 Taihape . . . .. . . 8-40 19 2-12 3-03 . Masterton . . ... 6-52 18 1-39 2-62 Patea .. ... 10-20 17 3’94 3-38 Wanganui . . 4-78 - 9 2-14 2-84 Foxton .. . . . . 5’23 13 0-78 2-11 Wellington . . 5'77 18 1-69 «, 3-32 South Island. Westport . . 6-78 ■ 20 . 2-60 o-86 Greymouth . . . . 5-9i 18 2-38 9-04 Hokitika . . 8-39 22 2-92 ' 9-84 Arthur’s Pass .. 7-42 13 1-78 6’75 Okuru, Westland . . . . 8-46 II . 2-1.6 12-86 Collingwood . . . . •. . 13-18 19 4-62 6’95 Nelson 8-26 2.3 1-70 2-76 Spring Creek, Blenheim . ■. 6-89 w -JO 2-22 Tophouse 8-98 22 2-00 2-00 5-16 5-16 Hamner Springs 8-72 .19 I-9O 3-30 Waiau .. - 5-45 15 r '3 T :47

Station. Total Fall. Number of Wet Days. Maximum Fall. Average January Rainfall. South Island — continued. Inches. . ■ Inches. . Inches. Gore Bay (North Canterbury) 473 ' ■ 17 1’21 2-47 Christchurch 5-48 16 3’23 . 2-1.5 Timaru .. . .. 4-6.5 21 1-04 2-28 Lambrook Station, Fairlie 4’49 17 . 1-22 2-34 Benmore Station, Omarama 4-19 22 0-67 2-66 Oamaru • .. .. .. 1-70 IO o-68 2-15 Queenstown • . 1-78 12 o-45 ’ ■ 2-71 Clyde. . ■.. .. 3’23 15 0-69 1-72 Dunedin 2-95 17 o-55 3’39 Gore . . 3’34 Invercargill . . . . 3-14 17 o-68 4-17

RAINFALL FOR JANUARY, 1923, AT REPRESENTATIVE STATIONS.

Wheat. Oats. District. Bushels per Acre. Bushels per Acre. North Island . . • .. . . 30-35 35’45 Nelson . . . . . .. . . . . 26-96 30-00 Marlborough . . . . 33-47 44-n Canterbury . . . . . . . . 29-97 36-54 Otago .. . . . . . . 32-18 4I-9O Southland . . . . . . . . 36-66 46-73 Average (estimated) for the Dominion, season 1922-23 30-48 39-50 Average (actual) for the Dominion, season 1921-22 . . 29’94 39-56