Minutes from the National Beekeepers' Association of New
Zealand (Inc.) Executive meeting held at the Sharella Motor
Inn, Wellington. September the 7th, 8th, and 9th 1998.

Present: Chairman Mr. Russell Berry, Vice Chairman Mr. Terry
Gavin, Mr. Don Bell, Mr. Tony Taiaroa, Mr. Lin McKenzie, Mr.
Bruce Stevenson and Executive secretary Harry Brown.

Welcome and call to order.
The Chairman welcomed all the Committee to the meeting and
declared the meeting open at 1.00pm.

1. Apologies.
No apologies were received.

2. Conduct of meeting.
Start / finish times
5.00pm tonight.
Start 8.00am Tuesday.
Finish 5.00pm.
Start 8.00am Wednesday.
Finish 4.00pm Wednesday.

Confirmation of agenda.
Items not being raised elsewhere to be added to the agenda
Testing costs.
Lawyers.
Voting accuracy from Conference.
Tax.
Travel allowance.
Health Dept / MAF.
AFB Dog.
Duty Free goods.
Related cost of magazine.
National Nutritional Foods Association.
1080.
Trade Barriers.
Restricted zones.
Exotic Animal Disease Meeting September 22nd.
NBA Financial year-end.
Costings.
Reordering of items.

3. Minutes.   
Confirmation of the July Executive meeting 19th of July
1998. 31.6. Russell Berry Moved, Terry Gavin Seconded, That
the President be authorised to sign the above Minutes as a
true and accurate record of the meeting. Motion Carried.

Matters arising from those Minutes.
Terry Gavin Moved, Don Bell Seconded, That we cancel the
Apimondi subscription due to its costs (Aprox $1,000 per
year). Motion Carried.

Lin and Bruce will send any E-mail messages of interest to
the Executive secretary for distribution to Terry, Don and
Tony in the weekly pack.

Confirmation of the July Executive meeting 24th of July
1998.

31.7. Terry Gavin Moved, Don Bell Seconded, That the
President be authorised to sign the above Minutes as a true
and accurate record of that meeting. Motion Carried.

Matters arising from those Minutes.
There were no matters arising.

4. Finance.
That the Executive move into Committee.

Tony Taiaroa Moved, Terry Gavin Seconded, That we move into
Committee. Motion Carried.

That the Executive move out of Committee.

Tony Taiaroa Moved, Terry Gavin Seconded, That we move out
of Committee. Motion Carried.

(Outcomes.)

Levy collection.
The 1997 Levies payers will be handed to the collection
Agency for collection. The Executive secretary is to give
clear guidelines to the Collection agency.

Finance:
Cheque register
Cheque numbers  000358 - 000400 June (28.1)
Cheque numbers  000401 - 000436 July (33.11)
Tony Taiaroa Moved, Terry Gavin Seconded, That the payments
made by the above Cheque numbers 000358 - 000400 be
approved. (all Inclusive). Motion Carried.

Tony Taiaroa Moved, Lin McKenzie Seconded, That the payments
made by the above Cheque numbers 000401 - 000436 be
approved. (all Inclusive). Motion Carried.

Committee reports.
Marketing report
No report received.

A.R.A.C. Annual report.
Report received.

NBA "DRAFT" Research Policy.
Report received.

The Chairman asked for all the Executive to make input. An
electronic or paper copy is to go to each Branch for input
as well. Comments to be received by the 30th of October.
Executive secretary is to obtain an electronic copy for
Bruce to circulate to selected members.

Meeting adjourned at 3.00pm.
Meeting reconvened at 3.15pm.

R.A.R.U. Committee.
Report received. Executive secretary is to write and thank
Jane for her very good report.

PMS Review Committee.
Terry reported that over 200 pages via 20 communications
with MAF RA had achieved a final Order In Council that is to
be presented to Parliament today.

Bruce briefed the Executive on the meeting with MAF Qual in
Whangarei and the Budget outcomes in relation to the PMS.
The Contract would come into place as of the 1st of November
1998 with MAF Qual. The payments would be on a monthly basis
for services carried out.

The first contract would be for a nine-month period due to
the late start of the PMS. This issue wil be re discussed
tomorrow after the Executive has had an opportunity to
digest the information presented.

Appoint disputes Arbitrator.
Russell Berry Moved, Terry Gavin Seconded, That the Chairman
approaches Mr. Keith Herron to be the disputes arbitrator
for the PMS. Motion Carried.

If at any time it was felt a conflict of interest a deputy
will be appointed.

Library Committee.
The Executive secretary is circulating the incoming
magazines as requested by John Heineman in his report to
conference. This action was revisited by the Executive and
endorsed.

Alleged Breach of a Members Privacy.
Tony Taiaroa Moved, Russell Berry Seconded, That the Privacy
Office letter be received and the Executive secretary
ensures the information required is stored in a safe place
as instructed by the Privacy Office. Motion Carried.

Restricted Zones.
Terry Gavin is to contact MAF RA on the progress of the
above issue.

Trade Barriers.
Russell is to follow up on this item.

Duty Free Goods.
Russell is to follow up on what type of information these
duty Free shops should display on what can't be imported in
to NZ from these outlets. The Executive agreed to look
around their own area Duty Free shops and report to the
December meeting. This will be raised with Jim Edwards when
he joins the meeting.

The meeting was adjourned at 5.05pm.
The meeting was re convened at 8.05am.

Cheque Signatories.
The Executive secretary requested approval for Mr. Dave
Robb, Employers and Manufactures Association consultant to
be one of the NBA Cheque signatories.

Terry Gavin Moved, Lin McKenzie Seconded, That Mr. Dave Robb
be one of the Cheques signatories for the NBA. Motion
Carried.

MAF Testing cost.
Russell Berry is to contact the Minister re residue testing
cost recovery and what we need to have in place for the
coming year to recover the costs. The account will not be
paid till the issue is resolved. The Executive secretary is
to write and advise MAF of this decsion.

Magazine Budget versus actual YTD.
Tony reported on the budget YTD and said it was very
positive. The 6 issues versus 11 issues per year was fully
debated and it was agreed to remain at 11 issues per year
for now. A reader survey would be carried out within the
next three months to establish the readers' comments on 6
issues per year plus a number of other questions.

Postal Codes.
Allan Richards will work with the Executive secretary to
establish the area Postal codes, and they will be entered in
to the NBA Programme.

Rule Changes Published in the magazine.
It was agreed that Proposed Rule Changes would not be
printed in the magazine, but they could be inserted as a
flyer.

Russell Berry Moved, Tony Taiaroa Seconded,  That Remits and
Proposed Rule Changes must not go into the overseas
magazines, nor loose flyer's unless specifically requested
by the advertiser. Motion Carried.

Lin will be preparing some guidelines for the magazine.

Profile magazine update.
Tony briefed the meeting on the progress of this item.

Meeting adjourned at 10.15am.
Meeting re convened at 10.30am.

Six Monthly Review of Administration contractor performance.
The Executive secretary left the room while the Executive
discussed his performance over the last six months. It was
agreed that the Executive secretary would address his
concerns over the Executive performance first as this is a
two way review. The Executive secretary said he felt most
comfortable with the current Executive and the President. He
said that the workload has increased with Commodities levies
though he was still comfortable with this. Branches and the
Hobbyist groups had taken a while to come on board and off
course there are the odd personality clash.

When asked if the Executive could have supported him more in
these personality clashes, he said this would have probably
inflamed the issue. Harry said in reality they had done all
they could do and he was very grateful for the Presidents
comments in a recent issue of the magazine.

The Executive sees a need to handle important written
material for correctness; more than once i.e. place it in a
drawer till tomorrow and re read the item. Minutes. There
may be a need to have a note taker at Conference to take the
Minutes. This would allow the Executive secretary to work
under a lot less pressure. The Executive secretary is
required for Minute taking at a number of meetings over the
four days of Conference.

They also felt there was need to have an inward and outwards
register of correspondence, it is seen as a significant
issue and will be revisited by the Executive outside the
review.

With reservations of Minute taking, inward and outwards
register of correspondence, and presentation of
correspondence, the Executive found the Executive secretary
performance satisfactory. The Executive needs to play their
part in the confirmation of the Minutes.

Meeting adjourned at 12.15pm.
Meeting re convened at 12.55pm.

PMS Contracts.
The President of the Wellington Beekeepers' Association
joined the meeting to explore the possibilities of his
Associations involvement in the running part of the
inspections for the Wellington region. They would also be
prepared to carry out hive inspections in the area with a
separate body to audit the work.

He left the meeting at 2.50pm.

Six monthly financial reporting to the members. Tony to
report to the Executive on this issue.

Manaku Standards.
The current situation was discussed including information
from the Internet and Dr Peter Molan Publication.

Method of Minute circulation.
It was agreed that the Executive secretary would E mail the
Confirmed Minutes to the Branches that wanted to receive
them through this medium. The others would receive them via
mail as the current method.

The Canterbury Branch Electronic Minutes are to be sent to
Peter Bray who will disperse it to the Canterbury Branch
members as requested.

Marketing Facilitator Contract.
Don said he felt it was important to decide if a Contract
was appropriate, if not appropriate we should say so.
Executive secretary to send the DRAFT Contract to Bruce, Lin
and Russell for comment. The comments to be returned to the
Executive secretary by 30th September. It was agreed that
the Executive would meet with the Marketing Facilitator and
the Marketing Committee Chairman at the Nelson meeting in
March.

Import Statistics for Bee Products.
It was agreed that the Executive secretary should purchase
these from Statistics NZ.

BoP Rule Change proposal.
Executive secretary to advise the Branch of the decision not
to take up the offer of the Executive promoting this issue
due to Conference had rejected the original proposal in
which case the Executive was not under any instruction or
obligation to further progress this issue. There was also a
cost factor to the NBA, though the Branch was free to pursue
this issue if they wished.

BoP Member Proposed Financial Committee.
The Executive secretary is to write to the member, thanking
him for his suggested proposal of a "Financial Committee"
and offering his services to serve on the Committee. The
Executive considered this issue at length and has resolved
to decline the proposal.

The Executive is of the view that the proposed "Financial
Committee" is in reality a Budget Committee, and budgetary
practice is a core role of the Management. Given that the
Executive Committee is the duly elected Management Agency
for the NBA, It was felt that it created another Committee
and would only serve to duplicate the existing role of the
Executive, there for it would be declined.

Scrutineers Costs.
The meeting declined the offer to pay for half of these
costs of one of the candidate's Scrutineers.

Offer to Scan Information.
The Meeting asked the Executive secretary to write and thank
Mr. Wallingford for the offer, but they would decline it as
they had the facilities to carry out this task.

Re-appoint sub Committees.
The following sub Committees were appointed for the
following year. 

Sub-Committees and Personnel from Sept 1998 to Sept 1999:

Sub-Comm of Exec - Marketing Committee
Jane Lorimer, Phillip Cropp, Steve Olds, Peter Bray, Tony
Taiaroa,  Bill Floyd, (advisers/consultant), Harry Brown
(Sec).

Sub-Comm of Exec - Apicultural Research Advisory Committee
(ARAC)
Dr  Mark Goodwin,(Chair), Michael Wraight Gerrit Hyink,
Frank Lindsay, Ben Rawnsley, Lin McKenzie, Russell Berry,
Harry Brown (Sec).

Sub-Comm of Exec - PMS Review Committee
Bruce Stevenson, (Chair), Terry Gavin, Richard Bensemann,
Graham Cammell, Murray Bush, Richard Hatfield, Peter Sales,
Ian Spence, Cliff Van Eaton, Mark Goodwin, Harry Brown
(Sec).

Sub-Comm of Exec - Exotic Disease Investigation Committee
Peter Berry (Chair), Gerrit Hyink, Frank Lindsay Don Bell,
Russell Berry.

Sub-Comm of Exec - Library Committee
Keith Herron, Allen McCaw, John Heineman.

Sub-Comm of Exec - Publications
Tony Taiaroa, (Chair)  Allan Richards, Don Bell, Lin
McKenzie, Harry Brown (Editor).

Exec resp branches - (Far North, Northland, Auckland)
Terry Gavin, Bruce Stevenson, Russell Berry.

Exec resp branches - (Waikato, Southern North Island,
Hawke's Bay)
Terry Gavin, Bruce Stevenson, Russell Berry.

Exec resp branches - (Bay of Plenty, Poverty Bay)
Terry Gavin, Bruce Stevenson, Russell Berry.

Exec resp branches - (Marlborough, Nelson, West Coast)
Don Bell, Tony Taiaroa, Lin McKenzie.

Exec resp branches - (Canterbury, South Canterbury, North
Otago)
Don Bell, Tony Taiaroa, Lin McKenzie.

Exec resp branches - (Otago, Southland,)
Don Bell, Tony Taiaroa, Lin McKenzie.

Exec resp - IHEO USDA, statistics
Keith Herron.

Exec resp - NZ Queen-Bee Producers Assn
Terry Gavin.

Exec resp - Pollination Associations
Russell Berry.

Exec resp - Foundation for Research Science and Technology
Bruce Stevenson.

Exec resp - Trusts and Trustees
Russell Berry.

Exec resp - Federated Farmers Land User Forum
Don Bell,/Tony Taiaroa.

Exec resp - Landcare (wasps and possums)
Don Bell.

Repr of Exec - Agricultural Security Consultative Committee
Terry Gavin.

Repr of Exec - Agricultural Security Consultative Committee
(Invertebrates)
Lin McKenzie.

Repr of Exec - Residues Board
Don Bell.

Repr of Exec - Ruakura Apicultural Research Unit (RARU)
Jane Lorimer.

Repr of Exec - Conference 1999
Don Bell.

Repr of Exec - Methyl Bromide
Terry Gavin/Bruce Stevenson.

Repr of Exec - Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary
Medicine Advisory
Don Bell.

Note: Pesticides Board has now been absorbed by the
Agriculture Compounds Veterinary and Medicines Advisory
Council. As the NBA is not a major user of Chemicals it
would no longer qualify for a seat on this Council. Don said
the NBA now had a better representation with  ERMA
responsible for the Beekeeping industry. Though a watching
brief will be retained until the change over has taken
place.

Terry Gavin Moved, Don Bell Seconded, That Bruce Stevenson
be appointed the Chairman of the PMS Review Committee.
Motion Carried.

It was agreed that the Export Certification Committee would
be discontinued.

It was agreed that the Chairman would approach Graham
Cammell to see if he would join the Marketing Committee. It
was agreed that the Marketing Committee would appoint their
own Chairperson.

Remit outcomes and actions required.

Remit 7. Canterbury Branch.
That this Conference recommends to the Executive that the
apiary rating system be reviewed with a view to improvement
where necessary. THE MOTION WAS CARRIED

Don Bell Moved, Lin McKenzie, Seconded, That the Executive
acknowledge the concerns expressed by the Canterbury Branch
in respect of their Remit 7 recommending a review of the
Apiary Rating System. As a consequence of its consideration
to date the Executive is acutely aware of the considerable
range of opinions attending this issue and feels that the
best way to progress this would be to enlist the assistance
of the originators of the Remit, in the undertaking and
investigation of the issue, and recommending to the
Executive a likely course of action. Motion Carried.

Remit 8. Southland Branch.  
That this Conference recommends to the Executive that a set
of guidelines be established to act as source material for
use by beekeepers. Motion Carried.

Executive responsible: The Executive secretary is to write
to Southland Branch requesting input. (Include Terry's
comments).

Remit 11. Southland Branch.
That this Conference recommends to the Executive that they
form a Committee to formulate a national code of practice
for the beekeeping industry, as a matter of urgency. MOTION
CARRIED Executive responsible: Russell to prepare a report
for the next meeting. The Executive secretary is to write
and request the Branch to also have some input.

Remit 12. South Canterbury Branch.
That this Conference recommends to the Executive that
pressure be maintained on Government to retain and improve
border surveillance methods for exotic disease detection and
funding be met by the taxpayer.
Note: Reworded to comply with rule 19 (d)

Amended by Hawke's Bay to read:
That this Conference recommends to the Executive that
pressure be maintained on government to retain and improve
border protection and surveillance for exotic bee disease
detection and that quarantine staff undertake Training bi
annually, a course in bees and bee product risk items and
funding be met by the taxpayer. "The Amended Remit was
Carried by a vote of 16 For  0 Against 0 Abstentions".

Executive responsible: Russell Berry to follow up on this
with Dr Jim Edwards at tomorrows meeting.

Late Remits.
It was agreed that we would set up a NBA PMS Web page. Bruce
and Lin will report to the December meeting their
recommendations on this item.

This Conference recommends to the Executive that they
request the Government to pass legislation prohibiting the
feeding of honeyed water to bird life and/or discourage the
public from this activity. It was agreed that Lin would
write a letter to Editor for the Straight Furrow magazine re
the dangers of spraying honeyed water on to Fruit trees etc.

Conference voting outcomes.
Executive secretary advised the meeting that the correct
voting numbers would not have changed the outcome of the
Poll vote at Conference.

Kilometres travel reimbursements.
Public service rates vary from 30cents - 60 cents a Km NBA
currently 62 cents.

Lin McKenzie Moved, Tony Taiaroa Seconded, That there be a
flat rate of 50 cents per Km and any Kms over 3000km for the
year would be renegotiated. Motion Carried.

AFB Dog update.
No response has been received from MAF RA granting
permission to carry out the training of the dog. Lin will
raise this issue with Jim Edwards tomorrow.

MAF / Health Department.
Submission closes 30th September. Russell to prepare a
submission, advising that the NBA wishes to retain the
status quo.

Nutritional Food Association.
Terry briefed the meeting on the joint NZ Australian
Standards and for the Nutritional Food Association to act on
the NBA's behalf, which Terry had granted, to them.

PMS for Exotics. 
September 22nd meeting, Terry is to send any information he
has to the Executive secretary who will distribute it to the
Executive to keep them up to speed on the issue. It was
agreed that Russell Berry would attend the meeting.

Meeting adjourned at 5.40pm.
Meeting re convened at 8.10am.

Federated Farmers lawyer discussion of last night. The Chair
briefed the meeting on the discussion with the lawyer; he
has given the Chairman two references to establish his
credibility.

Trusts applications.
Lin McKenzie Moved Tony Taiaroa Seconded, That we move into
Committee. Motion Carried.

Tony Taiaroa Moved, Lin McKenzie Seconded, That we move out
of Committee. Motion Carried.

Outcomes:
The Executive secretary is to forward both Applications to
the Trustees with the Executives recommendations.

Meeting adjourned at 10.05am.
Meeting reconvened at 10.20am.

Computer consultant report.
The Executive secretary is to contact the writer to
establish the next step for the NBA.

Dr Jim Edwards (MAF RA) joined the meeting at 11.20am to
brief the Executive on several issues.

Restricted zones for Tutu.
How will these areas be controlled next year? Jim said this
was not his area of responsibility but undertook to have the
correct person to respond to the Executive. Access for live
bees to the US Market. Jim said the US was still carry out a
risk analysis before they approved entry for live bees.
Residue Testing cost recovery. He said it was a requirement
of the EU to test one sample per 300 tonnes of production.
It also states that MAF staff must collect the sample (the
EU requirement is: a Government officer must collect the
sample).

The Chairman said that they were waiting on the information
to allow a cost recovery of this expense to the industry
rather than NBA pick it up the cost. It was agreed that the
exporters should carry this cost, and only MAF knows who the
exporters are. Should MAF collect this outlay at the time of
export certification? It was agreed that the Chairman would
work closer with Jim to push this cause to a resolution.

The cost of gathering samples should be a lot cheaper this
year said Jim, he has negotiated the testing of sampling
costs down by 1/3rd, it should be about $10,000.

How does an exporter recover the costs all ready incurred by
those exporters who has product that has been all ready
sold?

Importation of Bee products.
MAF RA is still working on the risk analysis of this issue.

Inspection of Premises by MAF / Health Department Proposal.
Jim said he thought this is a move to promote efficiencies
of both bodies, but who will actually carry out the function
is not yet clear.

AFB use for AFB Dog training.
Lin said the AFB will be radiated to kill the spores, but we
need urgent approval from MAF RA to allow the trial to begin
before it is too late for the season. Jim left the meeting
at 12.30pm.

Meeting adjourned at 12.30pm.
Meeting reconvened at 1.00pm.

Export Protocol Costs.
Letter received from Murray Reid, MAF QM, re the outstanding
costs. Russell Berry is to write to the relevant parties to
achieve a solution to this item.

Costings.
The cost cutting suggestions put forward at the last meeting
were again debated and actioned where possible.

Marketing Facilitator Guidelines.
Tony said he had a request for clear guidelines from the
Executive on what they saw as the role of the Facilitator.
The issue was discussed but the Executive felt they wanted
to complete their own forward planning at this time and
believed the new faces on the Marketing Committee would also
help with direction for the Marketing Facilitator.

Forward planning to the year 2005.
Don spoke to his discussion paper on this issue. He agreed
to develop his suggestions to the next stage and use the
people he thought could best assist him in this process and
report the progress progressively.

PMS Contracts.
When the Contract for the Contractors is completed it must
be run past the Association lawyers and the Executive,
before signing (the Executive is ultimately responsible for
the PMS Strategy.)

General Business.
It was agreed that the Executive would establish the
outcomes of the Remits for the last two years and discuss
them at the December Meeting for communicating to Branches.
The Executive secretary is to include the outcomes of this
years Remits to Conference in the Precis of this meeting.

As there were no further items of general business, the
Chairman thanked all for their input and declared the
meeting closed at 4.00pm.