.286 



AGRICULTURE IN VICTORIA. 



[March 1895. 



the inhabitants of those cities may be enabled to obtain first 

 hand Australian produce of the best quality at the cheapest rates. 

 It is urged that a beginning in this direction might with advantage 

 be made in London, and that if this be done, the system will soon 

 spread in the other directions indicated. 



Among many recommendations with which the Report con- 

 cludes, the Commissioners suggest that annual conferences of 

 specialists in agriculture, horticulture, &c., be held to consider 

 the various important rural questions, and that the proceedings 

 be published. The bonus system having been so thoroughly 

 successful during the last six years, its continuance is re- 

 commended to encourage the production of new vegetable 

 products, and, where necessary, for the improvement of vegetable 

 products already established, as well as for the establishment of 

 factories for transforming the raw material into the manufactured 

 article. The Commissioners also suggest such tariff alterations 

 as will lead to the improvement and development of rural in- 

 dustries; that the railway freights be as low as possible to 

 encourage production ; tha^t cool air and other trucks be provided 

 for the safe carriage of vegetable products, and that cheap 

 over-sea freights be arranged, and suitable accommodation made 

 on board ship for the transport of Victorian products. 



The Commissioners further recommend the encouragement of 

 the frozen meat industry ; the speedy establishment of additional 

 agricultural colleges in the cooler districts of the colony, and of 

 a. central agricultural college, which would be the University of 

 Agriculture of the colony, where the more promising students 

 from the other agricultural colleges would be trained as specialists 

 in the various branches of science bearing upon agriculture. 



ill 



