582 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [15 Oct., 1919. 



HONOURS WON. 



Of those members of the staff of the Department of Agriculture who 

 enlisted for active service six gained distinctions. The honour of C.M.G. 

 was conferred on Colonel E. A. Kendall, Director of Veterinary Services to 

 the A.I.F., and Major G. G. Heslop gained the distinction of D.S.O. The 

 Military Medal was awarded to Private A. Cahill and Corporal H. E. Eggleston 

 and, as already mentioned, to the late Sergeant R. S. Laycock, and the 

 Distinguished Conduct Medal was won by Sergeant W. Hogan. 



"BEHIND THE LINES." 



It has been said that wars are won from behind the lines — that the sphere 

 of the soldier who is ready to fling away his life in battle is less important 

 than that of the man engaged in the unheroic task of maintaining supplies of 

 food. But no one will press this opinion, and perhaps it can be best said that 

 there are various forms of service, " but the same spirit." It will not there- 

 fore be out of place to make a brief mention of some of the work of the 

 Department of Agriculture in facilitating the supply of foodstuffs to help) to 

 meet the requirements of the armies of the Empire and her allies. 



During the period of war the Department undertook the purchase and 

 shipping of supplies on behalf of the Imperial Government. Beef, mutton, 

 and lamb to the value of approximately £2,000,000 sterling was purchased 

 for the Imperial Government and shipped. About 14,500,000 rabbits, half 

 of which came from adjoining States, were sent away. Several contracts 

 for the supply of jam were entered into through the Department during 

 1916 and onwards, and the total quantity forwarded from the State was 

 about 76,000,000 lbs., the value of which was estimated at £1,500,000. In 

 addition, 5,000,000 lbs. of canned fruit were shipped. Hundreds of tons of 

 cheese were bought on behalf of the British Government, and large quantities 

 of eggs were obtained and packed for the Defence Department. Further 

 service was rendered in inspecting the wheat and flour purchased by Great 

 Britain, and in supervising the export of oatmeal, vegetables, fruit, &c., 

 for the Defence Department, the Red Cross Society, and the Comforts Fund 

 to various centres in England, Egypt, France, Rabaul, and Samoa. 



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