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Tinite to work unanimously together in the best interests of all 

 remembering that it is only by unity and co-operation that we can 

 secure that strength which will triumph over all difficulties. We 

 have such a good case that I am sure our honorable chairman will 

 admit our claims aud recognise the national importance of the 

 wine-growing industry to Australia, and that he will go from this 

 meeting determined to use every effi)rt to aid us to achieve our 

 destiny; and, then in years to come, he will look back with 

 feelings of genuine pleasure and pride to the important part he 

 has taken in laying firm the foundations on which the super- 

 structure of one of the greatest of Australasian industries will 

 yet be raised. 



Mr. Beak read the following paper — " An Elective Board of 

 Viticulture and the Phylloxera Question " : — 



As was recently pointed out in an admirable leader in the 

 Age, dealing with the present viticultural situation in Victoria, 

 the existing system of dividing the responsibility of managing 

 our viticultural interests and affairs between a Board possessing 

 no definite powers or authority and a Government Department 

 which is either unable or unwilling to do justice to the important 

 interests involved has proved a complete failure. I do not mean 

 to say that it is the fault of the existing Board that its recom- 

 mendations have not been carried into effect by the Grovernment 

 of the day, or that the Department has neglected to give them the 

 consideration they deserved. I merely aver that the system itself 

 is wrong, and that the principle of divided responsibility has failed 

 to be of any practical benefit to the vine-grower, or to the wine 

 industry in general. It has not been instrumental in opening up 

 fresh markets, or of increasing the value of our viticultural pro- 

 duce for commercial purposes, nor has it devised or formulated 

 any definite scheme for protecting our vineyards against the 

 phylloxera. It may perhaps be contended that the Board was only 

 appointed as an advisory or consultative body, but it is no excuse 

 that because its advice was not always adopted it should sink 

 into obscurity and cease to give any advice at all. In the present 

 state of affairs two courses are open to us— either to abolish the 

 Board altogether in order that the responsibility of looking after 

 the interests of the vine-grower may fall solely on the shoulders 

 ot the Grovernment, or to make it thoroughly representative in 

 character and endow it with suitable responsibilities, powers, and 

 tunds, so that it may be enabled to perform its important duties 

 witH proper advantage and eflecfc. It may be said, without risk 

 ot exaggeration, that the present position of affairs is little better 

 •tnan a tarce; one that is being acted at the expense of the present 

 *nd future interests of the colony, at a period in our viticultural 



