Held in the Johnsonville Union Church Hall, Johnsonville on Monday 8 November 1999 at 8.00 pm.

PRESENT : Richard Hatfield (Pres.), Mary-Ann Lindsay (Treas.), John Burnet (Sec.) and 42 members and visitors as listed in the attendance book.

NEW MEMBERS AND VISITORS : Colin Wharton (Linden).

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING : Minutes of meeting held 11 October were read and confirmed.

MATTERS ARISING :

DECA TRAINING : Mary Ann Lindsay advised 13 members so far had indicated their willingness to sit the DECA exam scheduled for Sat 13 Nov. Numbers were limited to 20 because of venue size. Likely exam questions were discussed and members were advised 100% accuracy was required for some questions and photo identification. Exam requirements: attendance at the 4 hour training session before the exam, NBA Disease manual, pen & $2 to cover exam venue costs and tea/coffee.

It was agreed club would meet the cost of members sitting one exam only. Should a member fail, he or she would have to meet the cost of resitting the exam themselves.

GENERAL BUSINESS :

DISEASATHON : To be held in the Otaki area - likely date 20 Nov subject to completion of necessary AgriQual formalities (date subsequently postponed to 5 Dec). Club members wishing to participate should leave their names with Mary Ann Lindsay.

MEMBERS QUERIES : Issues discussed -

• Use of bait boxes for collecting swarms
• Effectiveness of "shook swarming" in controlling AFB i.e. shaking bees from infected hives into hives containing only foundation. This practice, abandoned in NZ in 1950, has apparently been re-adopted by some Australian beekeepers.
• Moving bumble bees
• Illegally imported Australian blue-gum honey found in a Hastings supermarket.