io8 



Mr. Conrad Watson said that this Steam Gin being a double 

 action one would not be suitable for his purpose. He preferred a 

 single action one for long staple cotton. 



It was suggested that the Gin might come in useful for Mr. 

 Desporte's Cotton venture next season and that in the meantime it 

 could stay with Mr. Sharp. 



Arrowroot — 2. Letter from the Colonial Secretary's Office 

 enclosing copy of letter sent to the Superintending 

 Medical Officer with regard to local supply of arrowroot, 

 saying that it was His Excellency Sir J. Alexander 

 Swettenham's wish that local factories should be 

 encouraged if, and when, they are able to supply the 

 Government on equal or better terms than importers, 

 and that he relied on him to arrange for this in the case 

 of arrowroot ; and sending copy of memorandum from 

 the Secretary of the Board of Agriculture on the subject 

 for his information and guidance. 

 The Secretary was asked not to lose sight of the matter, so that 

 the public institutions should be supplied. 



Veterinary Surgeon — The Secretary read letter from an applicant 

 re appointment as Government Veterinary Surgeon offering his 

 services should the vacancy of Government Inspector occur. 



The Chairman stated that on the death of Mr. R. Rain who had 

 been appointed Acting Government Inspector of Stock on the 

 death of Dr. Gibb in the earthquake, the Government had ap- 

 pointed Mr. Tavares to act as Inspector. 



As the matter of the appointment of a Veterinary Surgeon 

 subsidised by the Government was under discussion by the Agri- 

 cultural Society, the Secretary was directed simply to acknowledge 

 the applicant's letter. It was thought that penkeepers ought to 

 subsidise a Veterinary Surgeon in the same way that sugar estates 

 retained engineers, rather than that a Government appointment 

 should be made. 



Chemist's Reports — The following Reports from the Chemist were 

 submitted and directed to be circulated : — 



1. Appropriation Accounts, Government Laboratory, IQO6-7. 



2. Appropriation Accounts Board of Agriculture Deposits, 



1906-07. 

 Director Public Gardens Reports — The following Reports from the 

 Director of Public Gardens were submitted :— 



1. Hope Experiment Station. 



2. Instructors. 



Vanilla — The Director of Public Gardens also submitted a letter 

 on the vanilla industry in North Westmoreland from Mr. A. B. 

 Ventresse, sent to him by the Chairman for his remarks, the pur- 

 port of which letter was that Mr. Cradwick had encouraged the 

 planting of vanilla there where it grew easily and there were now 

 about 10,000 pods maturing but the people did not know how to 

 cure them for commercial purposes, and asking that Mr. Cradwick 

 might be sent up there for a time to instruct them. 



