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Labour for Harvest. We had several conferences with Mr. Collins, of the Labour Department, in connection with the question of providing labour for harvest. He informed the Board that his Department had organized arrangements to assist farmers in harvest-time if labour was required. Although, owing to the bad season, there was apparently more available labour during the 1915-16 harvest than was actually required, the Board realize that country labour is being seriously reduced, and the greatest difficulty at present exists in getting ploughmen, the certain result of which will be a curtailment of the area under crop. Assistance for Farmers in a Small Way drawn in the Ballot for Military Service. At a recent meeting of the Board a letter was received from a member of one of the Military Service Boards stating that a number of farmers who are drawn in the ballot for military service, more especially in the back country, had frequently to dispose of their farms—in numerous cases they sell at a considerable loss —and pointing out that there is a danger in these circumstances of aggregation. The opinion was expressed that it would be much fairer to these men if the Government were to purchase their properties for settlement by returned soldiers. The feeling of the Appeal Board in question was that some steps should be taken to find out the minimum number of men required for the industry, as well as a census of the number available. In connection with this point our Board thought that some special inquiry should be made in the case of the small farmer working his own land without paid help, for in many such cases the income from the farm would be insufficient to pay the cost of hired labour. After discussion we decided to endorse the suggestions contained in the letter, and to forward representations in the matter to the Hon. the Minister of Defence. Provision of Land for Returned Soldiers. A number of recommendations referred to the Board by the Council of Agriculture, dealing with proposals as to obtaining suitable land for returned soldiers and placing them thereon with a view of their taking up farming, fruitgrowing, &c, were considered by tho Board. After deliberation we submitted recommendations in the matter to the Right Hon. Minister of Lands, who subsequently intimated that suitable measures were being taken to give effect to them on the lines suggested. Agricultural Hanks. On the subject of agricultural banks Mr. Edwin Hall, one of our members, drew up a long, valuable, and interesting report, of which a copy was sent to your predecessor, Mr. Massey, and a synopsis published in the Journal of Agriculture. Export of White-pink Timber, and Import Duty o.\ t Timber for 'Box-Matcing Purposes. The rapid rise- in the price of butter-boxes and fruit-cases seriously affected the dairying and fruitgrowing industries, and it has been suggested to the Board that the duty on timber imported for the purpose of making fruit-cases and butter-boxes should be removed. The New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation (Limited) drew the Board's attention to the fact that during the year ending 31st July, 1916, over 46,000,000 superficial feet of white-pine timber had been exported from the Dominion, and suggested (hat steps should be taken to have the export of this timber prohibited. After the Board had fully discussed the whole question it was decided to make no recommendation rejiarding the export of white-pine, but you were recommended to approach the Hon. Minister of Customs with the view of getting the duty on timber in shooks from British possessions imported for boxmaking purposes removed. Introduction of Australian Stubble-quail into the Dominion. By your direction a proposal that Australian stubble-quail be introduced into New Zealand was referred to the Board for their opinion. Inquiries made from Mr. W. J. Spafford, Superintendent of Experimental Works, Department of Agriculture, Adelaide, who had been recommended to the Board as one whose opinion regarding the life-habits of the bird would be valuable, corroborated the information supplied by Hie Acting Chief Inspector of Fisheries and Game in Victoria, which had been forwarded on to the Hoard by the Secretary of Agriculture. In both reports the opinion was expressed that Australian stubble-quail, if introduced into New Zealand, would not be likely to prove harmful to farmers; on the contrary, it was stated that these birds eat an enormous quantity of weed-seeds and insects, and mention was made of the fact that in southern Victoria their favourite food was the black seed of the spear-grass, dock-seeds, crickets, and weevils. It was urged by the Australian writers that it was one of the few introduced birds that was doing a very gOod work, and that it should be protected all the year round because of its value to the agriculturist as a weed and insect destroyer. In the circumstances the Board decided to advise vou that in their opinion the introduction of the bird would not be harmful to the farming community. Copies of the reports were also forwarded to the New Zealand Farmers' Union for the information of the members of that body, who had expressed fears that the introduction of stubble-quail into the Dominion might prove a menace to the farmer. Club-root Disease. At a recent meeting of the Board the question of club-root disease was fully considered. It was mentioned that the disease had made its appearance during recent years, it was fast spreading, and even now it can be seen from the North Cape .right down to Southland. Among the

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