Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4 Western Australia, Series 4
Volume 10
Number 7 1969 Article 10
1-1-1969
Horticulture chief retires Horticulture chief retires
Department of Agriculture, Western Australia
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Department of Agriculture, Western Australia (1969) "Horticulture chief retires," Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4: Vol. 10: No. 7, Article 10.
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HORTICULTURE CHIEF RETIRES
T h e Chief o f the Department of A g r i c u l t u r e ' s H o r t i - c u l t u r a l Division, M r . H . R. Powell, retired last m o n t h after a long career of service to W e s t e r n Australia's h o r t i c u l t u r a l industries.
M r . Powell joined the Department as a cadet in 1 9 2 3 and graduated f r o m the University of W . A . in 1 9 3 4 . He was one o f the first group of graduates to join t h e D e p a r t m e n t and was the first University graduate a p p o i n t - ed f o r h o r t i c u l t u r a l w o r k .
In 1 9 3 4 he was posted to N a r r o g i n , t h e n a f r u i t g r o w i n g centre, and in 1 9 3 6 was appointed to t h e A l b a n y d i s t r i c t , w h i c h was at the t i m e one of t h e leading f r u i t g r o w i n g districts of t h e State.
A f t e r serving in every f r u i t g r o w i n g district except Bridgetown he was appointed Super- intendent of the Department's H o r t i c u l t u r e Branch in 1 9 4 0 and soon a f t e r faced a d i f f i c u l t situation imposed by t h e W o r l d W a r , w h i c h included supervising the m a n u f a c t u r e of f o o d - s t u f f s in W . A . f o r all armed forces, and apple and pear acquisition.
T h e Vegetable and V i t i c u l t u r e branches were added to the F r u i t B r a n c h , to produce a u n i f i e d H o r t i c u l t u r e Division under M r . Powell, d u r i n g the 1 9 5 0 ' s .
M r . Powell is probably best known for his work o n disease and pest eradication and plant q u a r a n t i n e .
He directed the successful campaigns which eradicated apple scab in t h e South W e s t and A l b a n y f r u i t g r o w i n g districts, and later several c o d l i n g m o t h outbreaks in apple g r o w i n g a r e a s — t h e worst in 1 9 5 6 , lasting f i v e years. Freedom f r o m apple scab (black spot) and c o d l i n g m o t h are two of the main advantages of apple production in W e s t e r n A u s t r a l i a — and m u c h of the credit f o r this must go to M r . Powell. It is said t h a t successful campaigns against these pests have never been carried out anywhere else in t h e w o r l d .
M r . Powell has been Chief Quarantine Officer (Plants) in W e s t e r n A u s t r a l i a for m u c h o f his career. His work in this sphere has helped to keep Australia free of m a n y serious p l a n t diseases and has helped establish a sound quarantine inspection service.
M r . Powell is well k n o w n for his w o r k in industry organisation and t h e instigation o f legislation for the benefit of the f r u i t industry in W e s t e r n A u s t r a l i a . He has been largely responsible f o r the setting up of the Fruit Growing Industry T r u s t F u n d , a n u m b e r of Industry Advisory Committees and for the administration of the Plant Diseases A c t . He was t h e C h a i r m a n of t h e Fruit Growing Industry Trust Fund C o m m i t t e e f o r 2 9 years and in recent vears has been Chairman of the A p p l e and Citrus Sales Advisory C o m m i t t e e s and the Potato Industry C o u n c i l . He has also been active as C h a i r m a n of t h e Banana Compensation T r u s t Fund C o m m i t t e e for many years.
As the second Australian f r u i t o f f i c e r in England and the C o n t i n e n t a f t e r the W o r l d W a r and later after exploring the Singapore market, M r . Powell obtained i m p o r t a n t i n f o r m a t i o n on storage and temperatures of f r u i t in transit. W o r k w h i c h f o l l o w e d has helped improve t h e q u a l i t y of A u s t r a l i a n f r u i t exported overseas.
M r . Powell was last year elected the first Chairman of the C o m m o n w e a l t h and States H o r t i c u l t u r a l C o m m i t t e e — a reflection of the good relations he has m a i n t a i n e d w i t h h o r t i - c u l t u r a l experts in Commonwealth and State h o r t i c u l t u r a l circles.
In Western Australia M r . Powell has been largely responsible f o r the success of f r u i t f l y c o n t r o l schemes t h r o u g h o u t the State. T h e system o f local f r u i t f l y b a i t i n g schemes now operating followed a suggestion made by M r . Powell in 1 9 4 6 . The f i f t y one b a i t i n g schemes now operating t h r o u g h o u t the f r u i t g r o w i n g areas have been of great b e n e f i t t o f r u i t growers, particularly those in country centres.
Backed by the State's f r u i t growers, M r . Powell was largely responsible f o r the establish- m e n t of the State's major Fruit Research Station at Stoneville.
He leaves his position as the most important f i g u r e in W e s t e r n A u s t r a l i a ' s f r u i t g r o w i n g industry w i t h confidence in the industry's f u t u r e , despite m a r k e t i n g troubles and other set- backs it may meet in the f u t u r e .
" T h e r e is a sound core of high producing orchards and good growers w h o will carry t h e industry t h r o u g h almost any d i f f i c u l t i e s " , says M r . P o w e l l .
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Journal of Agriculture, Vol 10 No 7, 1969
