MANAWATU MATTERS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 66, 19 March 1910, Page 9

MANAWATU MATTERS.

HORSE-DRIVING CONTEST. AWARDS FOR~FAT LAMBS. [ST TELEGBAPH — SPECIAL TO THE resT.] [ PALMERSTON N., This Day. Tho sum of £7075 was distributed to Manawatu farmers during February in return for butter-fat supplied to the Dairy Union, the pi ice paid per lb being lOJd. Elevenpence and Hid will be paid during March, but despite thete high return* it is reported that many farmers will, owing to the exec-eivo land values, be no better off than in lew favourable seasons. A wager Is said to have been made in Feilding recently as to whether the owner of a pair of horse* could drive the animals 500 mile* in !**jht successive days. The PalmerMon branch of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals intends to prevent curh a trial if it can, the president stating that he regards the driving of a pair of ponies 62 miles a .day for eight days against time for money as absolute cruelty. Toe .Manawatu A. and P. Association has received some interesting particulars from London relating to the fat lambs for export shown at the spring show. Prizes were awarded in the pens, and the lambs wire slaughtered and exported by the Gear Company, and again judged at Smithfield market. There was considerable variation between the two awards. First prize in London went to a pen of live shown by G. Elliott, described as of ver* fine quality, short legs, and well covered, a Southdown cross. These lambs got a v.h.c. ticket at the show. The same owner's pen of Leicester crosses got second award in London against first prize in the ring, and J. A. Mitchell's entry (unplaced at th« show) was third. The second and third awards hi Pulmerston were fifth and fourth respectively in London, the owners being H. Swainson and G. Swainson. The lambs were fold at ruling rates in the market, realising from 3s 2d to 3s 8d per stone of 81b, from which must be deducted charges averaging 1.223 d per lb.