The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-17

dation for an advance for the purpose Of
improving rural transportation, the COM
missioners must consult the road board
a subsidiary committee appointed TO look
after the Improvement of rural communi-
cations
| Although the development commission
| has no executive powers, they can anu
do impose conditions upon the grants they
make, which after all, confers upon them
a certain measure of control. Every re-
quest for a loan or grant lisp referred by
! the local body concerned through one or
| other of the government departments
| For instance, several applications nave
| come to the board of agriculture and hsh-
| cries for an advance of a sum or money
| for the improvement of various hsherles
| in England and Wales, and j. o. Borley
the chief naturalist of the board of agri-
| culture, gave evidence in support of the
/ ar;plications before the commission. In
every way the work undertaken is Off the
beaten track, and embraces undertakings
which up to three years ago, could not
| look to the government for encourage
| ment-
| Matters ranging from the cultivation of
oysters in South Wales to the improve
| ment of the Moray Firth ports, have
lalready received financial support or OBJ
| tained sound advice from the commls-
i sioners. Moneys are not scattered broad
| cast in a lordly way as is commonly
held to be the way with public funds A
| deputation from headquarters invariably
makes inquiries on the spot into the ma
| ture of an application for aid, even after
all the facts have been placed before
| the commission. And although engaged
! in nation wide schemes, small and partic-
| ular local requirements receive nieuculous
attention. AS an example of this atten-
tion to small things, it may be mentioned
| that grant of $3.50 was made to the York
shire council for agricultural education in
aid of T. H. Taylor's investigations into
the swede midge; while another sum
was made over to mid-England insti-
tute in aid of the research into the dis
coloration Of Stilton cheese.
| A good deal of useful work there would
| have been no other means of accomplish
| ing has already been done. Support has
been afforded to schemes for horse breed
| ing, Improvement of inland navigation,
| harbor improvements, the organization of
agricultural cooperation, and the estab-
| lishment of national poultry institute.
And a government laboratory is in full
working order at Tedington, for expert
| mental and research work in connection
with road materials. Last year $6S, $50
were spent on agricultural research, $780,
COO on thep revision and maintenance of
farm institutes, and $4250 were granted to
the British Beekeepers' association, while
| $4,000 were set aside for teaching forestry
| in the universities. The grants totalled
S695, 4O5, and the loans S555, 500 The reve
| rue since the creation of the development
commission amounts to Sl4,63SS13, and it's
expenditure up to January /, last, s601, ,545.
The objects for which the commission
was called into existence are being en-
ergetically prosecuted right along now
| The board of agriculture and fisheries
has Informed the various local education
authorities that they are prepared to
make grants from money placed at their
disposal from the development fund.- for
the extension and systematisation of agri-
cultural education. The grants are in the