1942

| 1940-1949

The general trends in beekeeping were summarised by the Horticulture Division of the Department of Agriculture in early 1942.

Of the total, 1,299 were considered to be commercial beekeepers (having more than 10 hives). The total honey production (commercial and domestic) was estimated at 3,396, while the production in the previous season would have been 15% down on that, approximately 2,696 tons.

The IMD announced a complete payment of 7 d per pound according to grade. This ‘up front’ payment contrasted with the previous method of a first advanced followed by progress payments. It was also decided that Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin would be proclaimed as zoned marketing areas in which only honey supplied through the IMD could be sold.

Several acrimonious letters (from Mr TF Penrose and Mr WM Bray) appeared in the April issue of the Journal criticising the zoning scheme and Mr WW Nelson, Chairman of the Honey Control Board.

The 1941/42 honey crop was described as the worst on record “since honey production acquired the status of an industry”.

Mr GS Kirker questioned the reserves policy of the IMD in an article titled “What Have We? A Guaranteed Price, an Equalization Scheme or Co-operative Marketing?” He had understood that the Seals fund would be used to advertise honey in a glut year, but that it would also be used as an equalisation fund to bring the payout to suppliers into line with the realisations of producer/packers. He was concerned that the announced payout of 7 d per pound, with an intimated bonus of ¼ d per pound did not agree with the principle of payment up to the full value that honey would realise when sold. He was particularly upset that the National Beekeepers’ Association was not involved in decision making related to this or the intention to appoint the Honey Control Board for the remainder of the war period.

In late 1942, Mr GS Kirker announced that he would resign as General Secretary of the NBA and Editor of the journal. He expected to be called up to active military service before the end of the year. He commented on the four years of the Journal, “something of an experiment, and the editor’s first venture into journalism”. The apiaries of Kirker & Ford Ltd, in Taranaki, would be carried on under the management of Mr C Leatherbarrow, with the intention that both Kirker and Ford would return to civil life eventually.

In an article providing criticism and comment on marketing policies, Mr Kirker recorded some relevant statistics regarding exports and local sales:

After analysing the figures, he concluded that “By marketing their honey independently of the Division while good times continue beekeepers might reap a harvest, but they will surely need a marketing organisation at the end of the war – and probably sooner if there is a succession of bumper crops.”