1931
An unnamed Waikato beekeeper (Mr TJ Mannix of Waihou, Thames?) secured a crop of 75 tons, a record for New Zealand.
There were 99,855 colonies of bees.
Mr EW Sage and Mr PA Hillary were elected to the Board of Directors of the HPA.
The 1931 Conference was held in Christchurch on 17 and 18 June. Mr PA Hillary (Tuakau) was elected President of the Association, with Mr CA Pope (Springburn) as Vice President. Executive elected were Mr W Nelson (Otorohanga), Mr AH Davies (Hamilton), Mr GL Hight (Hororata) and Mr W Watson (Geraldine).
Discussion at Conference centred on a proposed honey local marketing act. The act was intended to give the powers of the Honey Control Board to all local honey sales. The bill had been “put into form suitable to New Zealand conditions” by Mr J Rentoul and Mr PA Hillary. It would also be used to create an “equalisation fund” to encourage exports.
Mr JR Butland, managing director of Butland’s Proprietary Ltd, Auckland, was appointed the Government Representative to the Honey Control Board replacing Mr TE Clark after his resignation.
Another item discussed at Conference was known as “the Robins Case”. Bees belonging to Mr LF Robins of Temuka had stung two horses to death. The NBA backed Mr Robins and even sought an opinion as to whether to take the case to the Supreme Court, as it “struck to the vitals” of the industry.
Kevin Ecroyd’s photograph appeared in an advertisement in late 1931. He and his sister were shown being supported by a sheet of medium brood foundation!