Report of Representative on Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture

Conference. The Institute held its annual conference at Timaru on February 12, 1959, the venue being chosen in relation to the South Canterbury Centennial celebrations, which included a floral exhibition and a floral procession during the same week.

An innovation this year was a short address at the end of the formal business in the afternoon by Mr. A. M. W. Greig, A.H.R.I.H. (N.Z.), Director of the Horticulture Division of the Department of Agriculture, whose subject was “A Review of Advances in Horticulture in New Zealand between the years 1952 and 1957”.

In the evening Mr. A. W. Anderson, A.H.R.I.H. (N.Z.), of Timaru, delivered the Banks Lecture on “The Botanical Exploration of Canterbury”. The lecture is published in the Institute's journal “New Zealand Plants and Gardens” 3 (2) 50–65, March, 1959.

Publications. The Institute's journal, “New Zealand Plants and Gardens” continues to maintain a high standard. This year the Publication Account, receiving 8/- from each member's subscription, plus a Government Grant, increased its credit balance by about £100.

Membership and Finance. During the year ended September 30, 1958, membership decreased from 2,205 to 1,996; part of this decrease represents a purging of the roll. In the general accounts (excluding the journal) income exceeded expenditure by £223. However, the Government makes a grant towards the expenses of conducting examinations, as well as the grant in aid of publication referred to in the last paragraph. The Institute is exploring possible ways of increasing its membership as the only means of reducing its dependence on these grants.

Horticulture Nomenclature and Registration. The Institute has been appointed International Registration Authority for cultivar names in the genera Hebe and Leptospermum, and has set up a permanent committee to handle this work, which is under the auspices of the International Union of Biological Sciences.

The Institute can act also as National Registration Authority in New Zealand for cultivar names in other genera in collaboration with specialist societies. The New Zealand Rhododendron Association has requested the Institute to act in this capacity for the genus Rhododendron, and a committee has been appointed for this purpose.

Aratiatia Rapids. The Institute exchanged correspondence with the Minister of Lands and the Minister in charge of the State Hydro-electric Department about the proposed power station and dam at Aratiatia Rapids, and a group of members of the Dominion Council inspected the working model at Gracefield. It appeared that no native vegetation of any consequence would be affected, and that the conversion of the river from continuous to intermittent flow was hardly a matter for an Institute of Horticulture. The Institute, however, has forcibly expressed to the Minister-in-Charge its concern at the relative ease with which land, previously dedicated by legislation as national reserve, is being passed over for another purpose altogether, without appropriate legislative measures being passed.

Examinations. I have continued to act as Chairman of the Institute's Examining Board. The number of examination entries increased as compared with the previous year.