PRESENT: Richard Hatfield (Pres.), Mary-Ann Lindsay (Treas), John Burnet (Sec.) and 40 members and visitors as listed in the attendance book.

APOLOGIES: Ken Breden, William Hurley.

NEW MEMBERS AND VISITORS: Alma & Stanley van der Assen (Karori), Peter Radcliffe (Plimmerton), Frank Clark (Wainuiomata).

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING: Minutes of meeting held 8 December 1998 were read and confirmed.

CORRESPONDENCE: Taranaki B/K Club newsletter dated Feb (available through Librarian).

TREASURER’S REPORT: Current account balance as at 29 Jan was $1,965.25.

GENERAL BUSINESS: Geoff Monk described and produced a sample frame from a sick hive with excessive drone brood - the experienced members diagnosed half-moon disease.

In response to a member’s query - a minimum of one super of honey should be left on each hive to provide the colony’s winter food stocks.

Pollen trap congestion was discussed.

Current season’s crop was discussed - varied from light to heavy depending on locality. A crop of 10 boxes was reported from one hive in the Wgton area. Generally poor to nil honey harvests were reported along western coast from Otaki to Waverley.

Top supering versus Bottom supering was discussed - bottom supering requires more lifting, encourages brood nest expansion but minimises traffic discolouration.

Abandoned and neglected apiaries, settled swarms and feral colonies should be reported to assist AFB eradication.

DoC use of 1080 poison was discussed and it was confirmed that apple not jam was used as bait to prevent any attraction to bees.

Mary-Ann advised that members Bernie & Lynn Long had left for a two-year term in PNG.

PRESENTATION: Richard Hatfield gave an entertaining presentation on Honey Extraction assisted and enlivened with plenty of audience input and comment.

Ivan Pederson outlined and demonstrated the manufacture of wax candles using a tin mould obtained from Bee Culture. As there were no instructions provided with the mould considerable trialing and improvisation was necessary.

Meeting closed at 9.40 pm with supper.