483 



\ 



thought the proposition really quite uncontentious and re- 

 commended it to be passed unanimously by the Meeting. 

 M?\ Skinner seconds the motion. 



Mr. Baxendale supports the proposition and mentions 

 that, if a precedent was required, there are a good one in 

 the Australian Colonies where obnoxious weeds such as 

 Bathurst burr, etc., were legislated against. 



Mr. J. Gibson thinks that in bringing up this question 

 he believes Mr. Harrison had had in his mind the native 

 holdings. There was of course a certain amount of disease 

 on European Estates, but that had always been kept well in 

 hand so far. The danger were the small holdings without 

 supervision, that might act as regular breeding places of 

 disease. These were the places that only Government 

 could effectively deal with, and Government should be 

 asked to do this ; as for their own Estates, they were fully 

 alive to the necessity of looking after their danger spots. 



The resolution is then put to the vote and carried un- 

 animously. 



VII. Mr. Pears rises to propose an addition to the 

 motion, just passed, as follows: 



' 'That this Association advise its Constituent Associ- 

 ations to procure the services of a mycologist of their own." 



Mr. Pears considers that most planters were suffering 

 from ignorance. Every one must be taught : managers, 

 assistants, and even head coolies. A mycologist could shor- 

 thorn what was wrong and teach them t lie symptoms of a 

 disease. The only thing was to get immediate knowledge 

 of a thing and stop it at once. By a small initial yearly 

 expense the trouble could be nipped in the bud. After all, 

 the expense of a mycologist was only about £1,000 per 

 annum, which was a mere trifle, compared with the interest 

 at stake. He spoke from experience, as they had had a 

 mycologist of their own on Lanadron, and he would urge 

 them all to follow their example. 



Mr. Skinner seconds the motion. 



Mr. Cumming agrees that the question was a very im- 

 portant one and involved a great number of interests. No 

 one had had time to think it out except Mr. Pears. They 

 had to consider the shareholders' interests. It was easy 

 enough for the big companies, but it might fall hardly on 

 the small planters. The Department of the Director of 

 Agriculture was doing excellent service, but it was clearly 

 understaffed. With regard to the District Associations, 

 the amount of worry in getting even subscriptions paid was 

 immense, and lie did not know what it would be if the sub- 



