AUGUST 15, 1914 



637 



Members of the Canterbury Beekeepers' Association at the field meeting held at Mr. Jacobsen's apiary. 

 Front row, reading from left to right, Miss Mackay, Sec. C. B. A.; Mr. James Allan, President N. Z. B. A. • 

 E. G. Ward, President C. B. A. ; Mr. R. McKnight, Sec. Christchurch Branch C. B. A. 



ogized for the absence of the Premier, the 

 Hon, W. F. Massey, Minister of Agricul- 

 ture, who was out of town, and promised 

 for Mr. Massey a sympathetic consideration 

 of any requests that might be laid before 

 him. 



The annual report stated that the mem- 

 bership is now 256, and it was anticipated 

 that this would be doubled during the com- 

 ing year. One of last year's activities was 

 to have been a systematic scheme of adver- 

 tising honey; but on account of lack of 

 funds it had been found impossible to do 

 any thing in this direction. The balance- 

 sheet showed a small debit balance. 



Three sessions were held daily. The eve- 

 ning sessions were given up to bee subjects 

 only, and several interesting and instructive 

 papers were read and demonstrations given. 

 Mr. J. S. Cottrell's paper on how to secure 

 an increase of 100 per cent in the crop with- 

 out increasing the number of colonies was 

 especially good. He dwelt on the importance 

 of having young queens, and suggested the 

 establishment of a queen-rearing apiary 

 under government control in the Cook Is- 

 lands, where conditions are ideal for the 

 purpose. At a later stage a deputation 

 waited on the Hon. R. H. Rhodes, and laid 

 the views of the conference before him. A 

 very sympathetic hearing was given, and 

 there seems to be every hope that the rec- 

 ommendations will be adopted in the near 

 future. 



An address by Mr. F. C. Baines on feed- 

 ers and capping-melters was also particu- 



larly good. He showed a modification of 

 the Severn capping-melter, which particu- 

 larly took the fancy of those present. He 

 showed how to finish up the day's work with 

 cappings all melted and the honey separated 

 without injury to the honey. His remarks 

 on hastening the granulation of honey were 

 also interesting. 



Mr. T. W. Kirk, Director of Orchards 

 and Apiaries Division of the Department of 

 Agriculture, on the second day gave an 

 address on the Department's intentions in 

 reference to the Apiaries Act. He traced the 

 history of what had been done from the 

 earliest days of the industi*y up to the 

 present time. He has always taken a very 

 keen interest in the beekeeping industry, 

 and his help in furthering legislation has 

 been invaluable. When the Apiaries Act 

 he outlined is law, New Zealand will have 

 an act which will be ahead of any thing- 

 else of the kind in any part of the world. 



On the third day Mr. Geo. H. Buekridge 

 gave an address on his personal observa- 

 tions of the American and British honey 

 markets. He found that the British markets 

 especially are not in such a flourishing con- 

 dition as he would like. This was due partly 

 to labor troubles and want of proper man- 

 agement in bringing New Zealand honey 

 before the public. He thought, however, 

 that there is a great future for New Zealand 

 honey when put uj? in the right way, and 

 exported through the right channel on well- 

 organized lines. 



Mr. H. W. Gilling, of Taranaki, gave an 



