21

H.—29.

the Continent, and the knowledge gained by him while visiting these institutions should be of considerable assistance to himself and his co-workers. A summary of the work carried out at Wallaceville during the year, supplied by the Officer in Charge, Mr. C. S. M. Hopkirk, B.V.Sc., is appended to this report. Dairy Inspection. At the present time there are in the vicinity of five thousand registered dairies supplying milk to consumers in municipalities throughout the Dominion, and when one considers the amount of inspectional and advisory work involved to keep these premises in a sanitary condition, so that a satisfactory supply reaches the consumer, it is to the credit of the Dairy Inspectors that steady progress has been made in their improvement. The old-time shed is quickly disappearing throughout the country, and newer up-to-date structures with improved surroundings are being erected, thus enabling a purer supply of this most important food to be produced. In spite of the fact that many new premises are being erected, the individual still plays an important part in the production of a pure milk-supply, which cannot be produced even in apparently clean sheds if he is negligent in other directions. Sediment-testers have been in use for some years, and are a considerable asset to the Inspector in this connection. Samples of the whole milk are frequently taken from individual herds and put through the testers. If the sample is not up to standard the owner is notified and requested to remedy the defect. It is to the supplier's credit that he does this in every case in his desire to produce a clean article. In regard to the health of the herds, all are clinically examined periodically, and should any individual animal show symptoms of tubercular disease it is destroyed forthwith. Further than this, all suspected animals are set aside and the tuberculin test applied, and the animal is slaughtered on reaction. At the present time a number of owners in their desire to produce a pure milk are having their herds voluntarily tested with tuberculin or by arrangement with the Inspector. In addition to these methods composite samples are taken from various herds, and put through a biological test at the Wallaceville Laboratory, and if disease is found the herd comes under the care of the field Veterinarian, who takes such steps as he considers necessary to free the herd from disease. Special attention is also paid to the condition of the udder, and if any disease is found which would in any way affect the purity of the milk-supply the individual animal is either condemned or isolated. In the latter case the milk is prevented from being mixed with that from the remainder of the herd and used for human consumption until she recovers. Wool. The climatic conditions ruling throughout the Dominion were in favour of a good wool-clip, and expectations were fully realized. It was noticeable that some attention was being paid to the question of remedying the position in respect to faulty wool, and the wool was also on the whole better presented. More can be done in regard to removing grounds for complaint regarding faulty wool by attention to breeding, particularly in the class of ram for mating with the ewes. I feel sure that faulty slipshop methods of breeding are largely responsible for the complaints that have been made of faults in New Zealand wool, and that being so it is a matter within the reach of every sheep-owner to do his best to overcome. The average price obtained for the Dominion clip sold within the Dominion was 14-99 d. per pound, this being l-90d. below last season's average. The price was nevertheless quite a satisfactory one. I append extracts from the report of Mr. J. G. Cook, Wool Instructor, as follows :■ — Sheep throughout the Dominion commenced the winter period of 1928 in good condition, and as the winter was not a severe one this was reflected in the wool when the sheep were brought in to be shorn. The wool opened up clean, bright, and well grown, giving a high, clean yield, the bigger percentage of it being suitable for combing purposes. The wool-sales were well attended by a full bench of buyers, some of the French buyers being very keen after pieces and belly-wool, and German buyers purchasing a large amount of the coarse crossbred wool and at times some of the fine halfbred. The bulk of the wool went to the United Kingdom, but France, Germany, Japan, United States, and Australia took a fair quantity. The woollen-mills within the Dominion secured a fair amount of wool suitable for their purposes, and on several occasions topped the market for choice lines. Competition was fairly keen at the earlier sales, held in November and December, and in January prices rose slightly higher, but the February and March prices dropped about 2d. per pound. Approximately £12,000,000 was received from the sale of wool at the Dominion wool-sale extending from 16th November, 1928, to 18th April, 1929. During this period 589,388 bales were offered for sale, and 553,809 bales were sold, averaging £21 Bs. 9d. per bale, or 14-99 d. per pound. These figures show a decrease from those of the previous year of £2 16s. 3d. per bale or l-90d. per pound. The highest-priced wool was sold at Dunedin, the top price being 26Jd. per pound. Wool from the same station the previous year realized 28Jd. per pound. The carry-over this year is approximately 45,000 bales, most of which no doubt will be shipped direct to London before next shearing season commences. There has been (as usual in other years) a fair quantity of wool shipped without having been offered for local sale. The following table shows the difference in price per bale between the 1927-28 selling season, and the 1928-29 season :— 1927-28. 1928-29. £ s. d. £ s. (1. Auckland .. .. .. .. 22 6 3 20 4 3 Napier .. .. .. .. .. 23 9 1 22 6 0 ■ Wanganui .. .. .. .. .. 23 12 4 21 1 5 Wellington .. .. .. .. 24 10 5 22 2 5 Christchurch .. .. .. .. 25 0 7 21 14 0 Tima.rn .. .. .. .. . . 26 1 5 21 10 9 Dunedin .. .. .. .. .. 26 6 10 21 3 11 Invereargill .. .. .. .. .. 21 7 0 18 16 9