2nd Progress Report - Part 2

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This transcription is complete

ment should undertake this work. What you have just conveyed to me was entirely different to what has been conveyed to me by the growers, and I was very surprised at the remark you made. Whether this is the impression of the growers or not I say, as senior officer of the Agricultural Department, that it is undoubtedly the function of the Government and their duty to undertake this work. With regard to the introduction of potatoes, on my recommendation the Minister has already approved of growers in other parts obtaining seed under suitable restrictions from the Osborne Park district.

11817. What districts it is proposed to allow to purchase from the Osborne Park district?—I think the Denmark and Torbay district, but it is not limited to these. The Osborne Park people made representations to be allowed to supply the people of the State, and so long as the necessary safeguards were observed that was granted.

11818. What districts does the department maintain are free of disease?—the district I had in mind was the Torbay district.

11819. What about the South-West?—I have not yet visited the Busselton and Capel districts, I understand from the late potato inspector that these are practically free from disease, in fact the State is practically free.

11820. The growers in the Torbay district are favourable to the establishment of State farms for growing potatoes?—Yes, for growing pure seed, as so are the Brunswick people.

11821. There are many growers who are not in favour of these farms.—Quite so. Two or three years ago there were very few growers in favour of the State producing pedigreed seed wheat, but to-day we cannot meet the demand for it. It will be the same in regard to potatoes once we have established the work on a proper basis.

11822. Every encouragement should be given to the expert grower to raise the best variety for seed?—That is already being done. The late potato inspector was doing this. At my request he proposed to make an inspection of the potato fields whilst the potatoes were growing, so that he would have at his disposal for the benefit of other growers the names of the settlers who had pure seed and the names of the varieties they were growing and interchange of seed thus be facilitated.

11823. What are the restrictions against the introduction of seed from abroad?— The potato districts are practically quarantined. I have not a very great amount of knowledge on this matter because I left it to the potato inspector. I understand that any seed introduced into the State must be grown in quarantine outside the restricted areas for at least a year. I should like to suggest sending up the regulations so that the Commission may see them. These regulations are designed solely in the interests of the potato industry.

11824. The growers appear to regard the regulations as harassing. They appear to hold the idea that nearly all the diseases which are intended to be kept out are already in the State and known to exist and that the effect of the regulations is to prevent grower sending to other countries for seed to reinforce the depleted stacks here?—That is not so. There may be the diseases in the State. We found in the markets the other day a consignment of potatoes infected with eel worm, which had come from the southern district. Because this particular grower has this eel worm it is no reason why we should run the risk of this eel worm spreading to other potato farms. We at once quarantined that area, which happened to be a small one. This grower may think that is a hardship to him. As a matter of fact it may be the best thing that can happen to him, for if he gets that eel worm spread throughout the whole of his farm he is likely to be ruined. Further than that he is likely to spread the disease to the adjoining farms. I understood from the acting potato inspector that I had power under the Act to condemn these potatoes and he already was making arrangements to send them out to sea to be thrown overboard. I found that the "Minderoo" was in harbour and endeavoured to make arrangements to have the consignment placed aboard her as she was going to Java, and it did not matter to us where the potatoes went so long as they did not come back to our own State. In that way we probably obtained 75 per cent. of the ordinary market value for the grower and at the same time carried out the regulations and prevented any possible infection to other crops.

11825. From what sources does the State propose to procure its seed for Brunswick and Denmark?—Within the State to start with. We have made arrangements to start with the next crop. It is impossible now to obtain seed from sources outside the Commonwealth. We probably have better varieties and strains more suitable to our own conditions in the State.

11826. Are the available supplies of manures satisfactory and true to analysis. This relates largely to potato manures and manures for fruit trees?—The analyses are extremely satisfactory, and with few exceptions they are always up to standard. Practically all the inspectors we have had report that there is little or no tendency to fraud on the part of any of the fertiliser merchants. I have here a return of all offences against the Act since 1911, which shows that out of the total number of samples taken, only these few have been below standard (return handed in).

11827. Have these prosecutions been few in number?—Yes. One year there were none at all.

11828. Have the offences been merely technical breaches or of great import to the purchasers of the manures?—They have mostly been technical breaches. In one case which of serious import to the grower, mistaken advice was given to him, I believe advice which was thought to be in the interests of the grower and in the best possible faith. The firm in questions was asked for certain manure and supplied another kind which they honestly believed to be more suitable for the purpose. The other cases have been mainly in regard to organic manures, the ingredients of which phosphoric acid and nitrogen fluctuate. I have in mind the case of a manufacturer in Kalgoorlie. This man grinds bonedust. He did not understand the situation. He had one sample analysed and registered his manure on that. He did not realise that his material varied from time to time, depending on the age of the animal from which the bones were taken, and various other factors. We had to prosecute him. I pointed out that he should reduce the registration so as to cover the minimum. He did this and there has been no prosecution since. The other cases are of a technical nature. With regard to the introduction of potatoes, I should like to send the Commission a