224 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL, [1 Ave., 1899. 
to know that the Minister appreciates our work, and in our Minister and our: 
Under Secretary we have two gentlemen whom the smallest boy in the office 
can approach at any time and discuss matters with them, whereas in some: 
cases in Government offices they work quite differently. I know for a 
fact in many of the Government offices in the southern colonies the: 
officials or experts of the Department are unable to see their Minister: 
except once or twice a year. He is, therefore, unable to get the strength 
of them, but both our Minister and Under Secretary are in close 
contact with us every week, and I am quite satisfied that if we neglected our: 
duties we would be quickly sent about our business. 1 have been connected 
with the Department for 10 years, and during that time I.can safely say every 
officer in connection with it has been a really hardworking man—men who are: 
prepared to take off their coats and do their work, and not only tell you how to- 
do it but teach you the practical part of it. You are aware that at the present 
time I am at the head of one of the most important institutions in the colony,. 
the Agricultural College, and with the permission of my chief I shall be very 
pleased to see any of you there. You should come and see what we are doing, 
and I am quite satistied you would be delighted with our work. If you send your’ 
sons to it they will geta thorough practical training, and will receive care quite 
equal to any bestowed by yourselves, if not more, for we are not only respon- 
sible to the Department, but also to the parents of the students. I think L 
cannot better conclude than by thanking the people of Mackay, especially the 
ladies, for the courtesy and kindness extended to usall while in this city. 
Mr. G. A. Warre (Proserpine): I beg to propose the health of the Mayor 
and the citizens of Mackay. We have been most hospitably received here, and. 
I hope no toast will afford us more pleasure than the one I have proposed. 
(he toast was drunk with cheers. 
The Mayor or Mackay (Mr. 8S. Lambert): I am proud to occupy the: 
position that I do in this town, and I feel the position more this week than 
{have ever done since I oceupied it. I can assure you that I feel grateful 
to the inhabitants of Mackay in every sphere of life for the manner in which 
they have contributed to your enjoyment, and I should have thought them not 
loyal to our worthy representative, the Hon. J. V. Chataway, had they not done 
so. I think, gentlemen, that he has conferred a great honour on his consti-. 
tuency by having this Conference held here, and I do not know of anything 
that could have been brought about that will bring us more before the different 
towns and districts of the colony than aconference of this kind. I hope that it 
is not for any hospitality that you may have received that you will remember 
us, but that the discussions that you have had, the insight you have had 
into our industries, and the nature of our climate and productions may be such. 
that you will carry away with youa fair idea of our requirements, and that you. 
will co-operate with us in carrying out our industries to more advantage 
than we have hitherto been able to do. We have in times gone by received a 
certain amount of opposition in connection with our labour—the kind of labour: 
which is absolutely necessary for our farmers to employ if they are to grow cane 
profitably, and as you know cane is our only staple product here. I have been a 
resident of the Mackay district for a good many years, and I can assure you 
that [am speaking the truth when I say that if the farmers could have asuflficient 
quantity of suitable labour for their industry there would be ten times more 
work for the white population, and better wages. Before sitting down there is 
one thing I would like to say, and that is, that I am very sorry indeed that the 
Minister for Railways did not accompany you, for we were looking” 
forward to his being one of the party to this Conference. Mr. Chataway tells 
me he will be here next week, and I hope he will, for in that particular depart- 
ment I think we have been rather neglected—that is, so far as railway 
construction is concerned. We were given to understand that Mr. Murray 
was to have been here this month, and we have been able to scrape up a very 
fair order for him. However, I can assure you that we have thoroughly made 
up our minds that we are going to have railways if possible, and it is not going 
