240 



in the work of the Board at much cost of time and labour to them- 

 selves for the kindness and support they had shown him as 

 Chairman. The Board had done a considerable aiiiount of useful 

 work and he had no doubt would continue to do so. The Board 

 took the place of the head of an Agricultural Department and such 

 an organisation must continue to exist and to carry on its present 

 services until such a Department can be formed. He hoped that 

 Sir James Swettenham would take the Chairmanship of the Board 

 when he assumed the Government. The Governor is in a position 

 to do more in pushing the work of the Board than is possible for 

 the Colonial Secretary under the constant pressure of his official 

 work. He intended to leave his opinion on this subject on record 

 for Sir James Swettenham's consideration. He again thanked them 

 and expressed the pleasure which it had been to him to be associated 

 with them and preside at their meetings. 



Mr. deMercado said that they were all sorry to part with Mr. 

 Olivier. It had been a pleasure to act on the Board with him as 

 Chairman. They had found in him a Chairman, who always came 

 to the Board with every subject well considered, and they were 

 enabled to carry on the work in an efficient way, owing to the 

 attention given by him to all the work of the Board. It was a 

 subject of considerable surprise that Mr. Olivier should be able 

 among all his arduous duties to take the immense amount of trouble 

 involved in this work and he for one felt, and he thought he 

 expressed the feelings of the Board, that the success of the Board 

 of Agriculture had only been made possible by the very great 

 interest and the great effort and the immense amount of work the 

 Chairman had given to the business of the Board. He hoped they 

 would have the chance of renewing their very pleasurable 

 acquaintance with him. 



The Chairman in acknowledging the kind expression of the 

 appreciation of the Board said that the Board had been a most 

 efficient and satisfactory combination to work with because of the 

 extensive variety of the interests and qualifications of its Members 

 in direct or indirect connection with Agriculture. They had four 

 leading practical planters, Mr. Calder, Mr. Cork, Mr. Fursdon and 

 Mr. Shore representing all the principal branches of Agriculture ; 

 they had Mr. deMercado representing its commercial interests, 

 and Mr. Middleton representing commercial and manufacturing 

 interests. Besides this they had the technical members of the Board, 

 Mr. Fawcett and Mr. Cousins ; they had connected themselves with 

 Education through the Chairman of the Schools Commission and 

 the Superintending Inspector of Schools, and they were in close 

 touch with the Janiaica Agricultural Society through their joint 

 Secretary. 



[Usned 10th October, 1904.] 

 frinted at the Govt. Printing Office,, Kingston, Jam. 



