57 



sugar-beet industry. While it was ti'ue that we could uot develop 

 beyond our own consumption, because of the facilities for pro- 

 ,ducing sugar in other parts of the world where there was cheap 

 labour, still so far as our consumption was concerned they must 

 encourage it, and to supply our own wants should be the first 

 consideration. From a State point of view it was of as much 

 value to produce as to export ; it was indeed, qf even more ad- 

 vantage ; and to that extent the industry would be developed by 

 the assistance of the State. The pork and poultry industries 

 were also impoi'tant, and ought to be encouraged. He felt con- 

 fident from the reports they had and the experiments in New 

 Zealand, that the pork industry would be a success ; and the 

 same with the poultry. In fact a time had arrived when we had 

 to compete with the world's market, and from many causes we 

 were not so favorably situated as other parts of the world ; con- 

 sequently they must meet the times and produce everything on 

 the farms. It was absolutely necessary that they should adapt 

 themselves to the new situation that had arisen, that was the ne- 

 cessity for economy and for increased industry. He again thanked 

 them for their kind references to himself, and hoped that whether 

 he had the good fortune to administer the affairs of the Agricul- 

 tural Department or not, it would succeed in giving satisfaction to 

 the agriculturists and to the colony generally. He was only a 

 bird of passage in the department. He was there to-day and 

 might be gone to-morrow, but their worthy friend, Mr. Martin, the 

 Secretary for Agriculture, would always be there, and in him the 

 agriculturists of this colony had probably one of the best friends. 

 He was a man who had given a great deal of study and thought 

 to the various matters affecting the industries they had been dis- 

 cussing. He had no hesitation in saying that a more efficient 

 officer, or one who gave more thought and attention to the duties 

 of his office, was not to be found in the whole of the Govern- 

 ment service. He would say that nearly the whole of the success 

 in connexion with the administration of affairs in the Agricul- 

 tural Department might be placed to the credit of Mr. Martin, 

 rather than to the credit of any Minister. In fact, it was a 

 department where the Minister might guide the policy for a time, 

 but the success of the policy depended upon the administra- 

 tive ability of the permanent officers. He thought the Con- 

 ference ought not to separate without passing a vote of thanks 

 to Mr. Martin for his efforts in the past in the cause of 

 horticulture, agriculture, and other industries in connexion there- 

 with. 



Mr. Williams moved a resolution that the thanks of the Con- 

 ference be given to the Minister and the Secretary for the con- 

 sideration the industry had received at their hands. 



3086- n 



